2021 Reflection from our Founder/CEO
As I look back at 2021, it’s hard to see past the continually compounding impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the unexpected devastation caused by Hurricane Ida. But despite all of the hardship, loss and grief that these two tragedies have forced us to endure, I also see a glimmer of hope and light as I reflect upon the resilience, passion, compassion and strength I witnessed from so many folks at IWES and beyond – so much so that we were able to find pockets of joy and stability on what felt like very turbulent skies and unstable ground. At core, the pandemic asked us all to stop and pay deeper attention to how fatigued we all were. And in taking that time to evaluate ourselves, our organization and our approach to the work, we were left with some very important learnings—dare I say “gifts”—that we will take into 2022 and beyond. Before we get into our program updates, I wanted to take a moment to share these gifts in case they could be useful to you, and I invite you to respond with your thoughts, comments and takeaways and let us know how these reflections could impact your life and work.
1. Productivity is not solely based on in-office 9-5 schedules.
2021 has had us rethink the present and future of work and really hone in on what’s most important for the internal and external health of not only the organization, but also of ourselves, our communities, and our society as a whole. After over a year of working remotely it is more than evident to us that the work can get done (and goals surpassed!) in alternative configurations than what we previously assumed “had to be.” The typical 9-5 in-office structure combined with the stress-inducing grind of traveling daily to and from the office may actually be detrimental to some folks’ productivity, whereas allowing a bit more flexibility in how we design our work days can allow folks to produce better, more inspired work, and with more ease, while still fulfilling all contractual obligations to our funders around time and attendance.
2. Maintaining spaces to convene virtually with regular frequency can be an efficient mechanism for maintaining productivity while simultaneously mitigating staff burnout.
Throughout the pandemic we’ve held regular meetings each week to stay in touch with staff and share (personal and professional) updates; present to each other about topics of interest and expertise that are relevant to our work or to ourselves as conscious humans; have some free time to explore our personal talents and passions and share them with each other; create space for mindfulness through movement, reflection or meditation; and, well, just be silly and enjoy each other’s company! Not only have we as leadership been able to have a sense of what is happening at the organization and track progress in achieving our programmatic goals, it has also allowed us all to get to know each other and fill some of the socialization gaps that are missing when there is no longer a proverbial water cooler to stand around—which actually I think has been supplanted by the Zoom chat these days. Especially for folks joining during the pandemic and never having the opportunity to meet us all in person, these spaces have been vital to ensure workplace cohesion and let folks have a little space during their work day to breathe and receive. And as an added, unexpected perk, it has also contributed to staff appreciation for the moments of in-person socialization that we do have. Let’s just say you should have seen us at our holiday party!
3. During periods of challenges, not giving up, envisioning new possibilities and living with uncertainty can significantly sustain and enhance growth.
This probably seems like the most obvious and potentially the easiest of our realizations this past year, but we include it here because I’d challenge that notion by saying it’s the hardest and most vital lesson that has helped us to adapt to ever-changing circumstances and come out successfully. This however requires radical acceptance of the new realities—how things truly are, not how it used to be—and I find that can be very hard for folks, especially if there is a level of comfort in how things are at the moment. I also underlined “living with uncertainty” as I find this can be the hardest part of the hardest part, especially as a leader of an organization where over 30 people look to you for guidance and direction at all times. Sometimes it is through the practice of accepting uncertainty that we find the clearest path. If we allow ourselves to be comfortable not knowing, eventually we will see how much easier sustainable solutions arise, instead of quick fixes designed to ease the discomfort but not address the real issues.