Leadership Lesson From COVID-19: Tough Lesson
It’s not easy to be an effective leader, but effective, strong, and decisive leadership is what is needed when you are entrusted with the health, safety, lives and/or livelihood of others. When Gavin Newsom and Jay Inslee (the Governors of California and Washington state respectively) essentially shut down their states, the timing was excellent. The novel coronavirus had already invaded. Citizens were concerned. We had seen what happened in China and it was time for decisive action. While the decisions to send everyone home from work and shut down stores, entertainment, and religious gatherings seemed dramatic, the leadership shown was effective. As days and weeks followed they have been lauded for their actions. It didn’t stop the virus from afflicting the states’ residents but it apparently slowed the curve and magnitude of incidents.