The COVID-19 situation has tested us in unexpected ways…altering our daily lives and shifting the health of the world and economy. This March we rapidly transitioned from the announcement of a global pandemic, to an unprecedented virtual society effort to flatten the curve through quarantine.
Community has never been more important than it is today. The fates of our human family are inextricably bound together as we prepare to secure our homes, support our colleagues, and find ways to positively impact one another amid the local and global landscape.
As COVID-19 news gripped the world in uncertainty, I received a personal text message from an admired business partner and recognized industry pioneer, that shifted my perspective. Chris Crosby, the CEO of Compass Datacenters, wrote, “You doing ok? Thinking about you after starting a business with all this stuff going on. Let me know if I can do anything for you.” With everything a CEO must manage, he truly went above and beyond for one his vendors and partners, not only checking on our team but offering sage advice and hope in times of trial. I was both inspired and humbled by this example of selfless leadership. He likely doesn’t know how deeply his message impacted me and helped me grow. Yet, this remarkable gesture earned my unconditional loyalty and respect; we will jump on planes and grenades to make sure that Chris and his team never fail!
At this juncture in the crisis, it was difficult to look beyond the headlines and intense news coverage and I’ll admit that I felt impacted by the disruption exposing society’s vulnerability. This striking gesture from a leader in my industry was a personal wake up call for me to examine my role in driving positive change within my sphere of influence. I am a better person and better leader now, because I took the opportunity to turn tragedy into transformation for my own life. I want to challenge you to do the same – to view this NOT as an “unprecedented time” but as a TRANSFORMATIONAL OPPORTUNITY. Make no mistake – these past 30 days have been life-changing for all of us.
Amid the turmoil, I have taken the “Stay at Home” order as an opportunity to reset. And in doing so, I have been personally and professionally changed in the following beneficial ways:
- Achieving greater connection with my family – The pace of life has notably changed, resulting in time to be present and time to talk with my family in an entirely new way, resulting in a stronger and more connected relationships with them.
- Greater commitment to a heathier lifestyle – beyond adopting healthier eating habits, I am sleeping better and exercising more.
- Enjoying time for more meaningful moments – like crushing my kid’s souls in Monopoly, cooking side by side with the family, and simply hanging around the backyard campfire on a Wednesday night (which would have been unheard of in former days).
- Increased closeness with our professional team – Thanks to GoToMeeting, I see and speak with our team daily and in doing so have developed a deeper respect for how hard the team works to support one another when it matters most.
- Establishing a healthier balance – beyond adopting more efficient technology and collaboration tools, I am incorporating increased discipline to my routines while finding opportunities to eliminate waste in my schedule.
- Setting aside time to think more strategically – In sincere review, I was stunned to see how much of my day was wasted racing between flights and hosting late night dinners. I can now engage time for tactical responsiveness and strategic planning. There is time to devote to reading industry news and taking a deeper dive into books that inspire me and fuel my professional passion. As fast as we hustle to grow our startup environment, it is easy to fall into “triage du jour” habit. This helps in the short term but limits growth in the long term. The pace change has altered distractions and revealed more focused time that I am opportunely using to map out strategies for long term growth positioning and plans to prepare as the situation evolves.
Words cannot express my appreciation for this team and the select individuals who have tied their fate alongside the partners at Overwatch Mission Critical. Community and family are at the core of everything that we do. I am honored to be in the trenches, during this time in history, with a tribe committed to acting quickly and boldly to navigate the challenges before us. While this time will test our flexibility, resilience, and courage, it will also stand as a defining moment, strengthening our common bonds. Let us rise to this challenge, expand our perspectives, and seek to drive positive change by providing a helping hand in our own communities and for the business partners within our sphere of influence. This will be a time when we can be a force for good, living our values in bold and impactful ways.
I challenge you all to share with us your “Silver Lining” story. How has the past ~30 days offered transformational opportunities for you? Additionally, keep those that continue to be afflicted in your thoughts and find ways to help them transform.
Help each other.
Help our customers.
Help our partners.
Help the small businesses in the community.
And help yourself transform!
Together,
Kirk Offel
CEO, OVERWATCH MISSION CRITICAL
