By Kevin Cashman; originally posted on his Forbes blog: Pause Point on April 3, 2020.
I received a very warm note from a colleague late the other night saying, “Tell me, how are you really doing?” Instead of just saying, “I’m fine”, I shared with him the considerable personal and family stress underneath the business stress, like we all are facing now. My openness opened him up. We shared our real stories underneath the business narrative, the real stories we wrestle with daily.
This authentic exchange led to a deeper personal reflection, “You know what really impresses me in these disruptive times? The ‘quiet heroes’ all around us right now, rising up above the heavy stress every day.” As I write “quiet heroes”, tears hit my keyboard. It is something I had never said or written before. Quiet heroes…the heroes all around us, showing up despite all the anxiety, pressures and worry. The healthcare professionals, the retail clerks, the delivery people, our colleagues, our clients…and of course our loved ones. So why the tears? Profound appreciation, love and admiration for all of them. But also a part of me recognizes that their courage may be greater than my own, and that humbles me to my core.
