By Roberto Anguiano
I can still remember the day of my job interview for my current role. I was extremely nervous. The process to get ready for the interview started the night before. I remember ironing my dress shirt, pressing my coat, picking out the right cardigan that would go over the dress shirt, and matching the belt with the dress shoes. Dress to impress, you always want to make a good first impression. Just some of the old school tips I picked up along the way in my career. Sitting in the lobby, I remember seeing everyone walking in, the building looking modern like a brand-new start-up. This was the reality that I knew. These days I spend most of my days in a t-shirt and jeans and hide behind a picture, where I’m well-groomed with a fresh haircut, as I conduct Zoom calls and almost never turn the video function on.
As many of us now know to be our reality, COVID-19 not only ravaged our world community but literally made the world standstill. Hospitals became oversaturated, businesses were forced to shut down, many to never open again and thousands of lives were lost around the globe. It forced us as a global community to pivot and find new ways to conduct business, continue education, and interact with family and friends. As the shelter in place ordinance started to roll out, companies found themselves having to rely on video communication like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Facetime, and Skype. Tools that were usually reserved for board room conversation or the occasional remote employee all of a sudden became the new norm.
As I began to ruminate about what to write, I decided to take a page out of John Krasinski’s book and highlight some of the lighter, funnier, heartfelt events I’ve seen over the past few months. For those that are unfamiliar, Krasinski noticed a lack of news outlets that just highlighted happy, funny moments in the news so, with his family, he created a YouTube show called Some Good News to change that.
Appreciation on the Front Lines
During this pandemic, I’ve been able to see how creative and unique people from all walks of life are, and how they have been working through Covid-19. I want to highlight a few Zoom and online moments I’ve seen so far, showcasing what individuals can do when they come together for a common purpose. The first moment that comes to mind is a video that honors the heroes on the frontlines. For the past few weeks, hospital workers have been greeted every day at 7 pm with loud cheers. People showing their appreciation by banging on pots outside their homes, clapping outside of hospitals, honking their horns. Donating meals to hospital workers and staff, all to say thank you to the men and women risking their lives to save ours. With all the content of people being sick, videos of hope are also being shared. Patients that are beating COVID are leaving the hospital, and being celebrated by hospital staff.
Feeding the Hungry
With millions of people out of work, a large portion of the individuals impacted have been the men and women of the service industry. Yet in the resilient fighting spirit of community, many of the same men and women impacted by the pandemic are stepping up to make a difference. If you are in the city of San Francisco and have the opportunity to order for pick up, I encourage you to visit TOMA. TOMA not only dishes out the best burritos in the city but when owner Isidrio, known to many as Chilin, heard that there were kids not getting their free meals in school, he wanted to do something about it. As statistics show, many children depend on the free lunch provided at schools to subsidize a large portion of their daily meals. TOMA started donating free meals to kids and then increased the portions to feed their families as well. Even with his own business suffering from the pandemic, Chilin still managed to constantly feed healthcare workers by providing catering to hospitals, and free burritos to the men and women that work there if they showed up to pick up on their days off. TOMA, where they roll’em high and tight!
Virtual Milestones
Some of the best viral moments and creativity recognition have to be given to the class of 2020. To many of them, these past few months were supposed to be among some of their most memorable. However, with the shelter in place ordinances and schools being shut down, events like prom and graduation ceremonies were canceled. To many, this might not seem like the most important thing to worry about during a pandemic. Yet to someone who has been working their entire lives toward that moment it could be an emotionally devastating blow. That’s why it was inspiring to see so many people eager to support these graduates. From parents and community members hosting virtual graduation ceremonies via Zoom to having commencement ceremonies in their own backyards, people rallied to ensure that these graduates got the opportunity to experience their moment. As many from the class of 2020 prepare to embark on a new chapter, they will certainly come out of this more resilient and tested. Congratulations Class of 2020!
Do the Time, Don’t Let it Do You!
This pandemic has proven that when there is a crisis, being surrounded by the right team makes a world of difference. It shows that collectively, whether in person or on a thirty person plus video call that collaboration, teamwork, and execution is still achievable.
If there is anything that you take away from this article, know that it’s ok to be vulnerable and find unique ways to connect to your colleagues and clients during these trying times. That taking time to ask if they are doing ok, or if they need anything isn’t a weird or intrusive thing to ask these days. We are all in this together. Many of us went through months of quarantine, and are probably going a little stir crazy even amid some reopening. I know I am. Nonetheless, I’m thankful to be healthy and have the ability to still work and produce when many others don’t have that luxury. Before the quarantine I would interact with individuals that would say “If I just had the time I would…” or “ah! Don’t you wish you could just take a moment to stop and work on you for a while?” Well, this is it! Do the time, don’t let it do you! Take this time to learn that new language, work on those extra projects, anything that would otherwise not be possible before the world stood still. Stay safe and stay inside.
I would like to thank all the doctors and nurses on the frontlines and essential personnel who are risking themselves and their families on a daily basis so that we can still retain a bit of our normal way of life in the midst of this pandemic. We are indebted to you.
The Success League is a customer success consulting firm that offers online training (for both Leaders and CSMs) as well as consulting engagements. Please visit TheSuccessLeague.io for information on our full offerings.
Roberto Anguiano - As a core team member of the Aruba Networks Customer Success team, Roberto plays an important role in delivering the digital-first engagement strategy for the Customer Success program. Roberto is the lead CSM for the Digital-only segment and creates digital content. Additionally, Roberto is an award-winning public speaker and has represented the United States and his university in some of the highest levels of speaking competitions. Roberto holds an MBA in Finance from La Sierra University.