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Wednesday PM Daily | April 1, 2020
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Guest opinion: Now is the time to drop your tools
Submitted by Jann Freed
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In pursuit of knowledge, every day something is acquired. In pursuit of wisdom, every day something is dropped. – Lao Tzu
Several years ago, I had the chance to hear a keynote speaker at a professional teaching conference who made a significant impression. In this time of COVID-19, the message is only more relevant. Karl Weick, professor of organizational behavior and psychology at the University of Michigan, told us why educators need to "drop our tools" in order to teach effectively in times of accelerated change. Using actual examples from firefighters and others, he built a case that educators can be better prepared to meet the challenges if we drop rather than acquire. "Learning to drop one’s tools to gain lightness, agility and wisdom tends to be forgotten in an era where leaders and followers alike are preoccupied with knowledge management, acquisitions and acquisitiveness. Nevertheless, human potential is realized as much by what we drop as what we acquire."
Weick studied wildland firefighters and discovered at least 23 have died in four separate incidents since
1990 with their tools next to them. "In every case, they died within sight of safety zones that could have been reached if they had been lighter and moved faster." He also studied fighter pilots and found that those "whose planes become disabled lose their lives when they hold onto what they call ‘the cocoon of the cockpit’ rather than face the conditions of an ejection from the aircraft." NASA engineers on "the Challenger project failed to drop their launch routines in the face of increasingly severe burn marks on O-rings and approved the launch that killed seven astronauts. … The final report of the Columbia shuttle disaster investigation notes that NASA management was not able to recognize that in unprecedented conditions, when lives are on the line, flexibility and democratic process should take priority over bureaucratic response."
This is the time when we need to "drop our tools" in order to be innovative, resilient and agile. This also takes a growth mindset. According to Carol Dweck in her book "Mindset: The Psychology of Success," there are two main mindsets we can navigate life with: growth and fixed. With a fixed mindset, we try to prove ourselves and success is about winning, so we don’t take many risks. With a growth mindset, we are trying to improve ourselves and success is about learning, so we are more open to taking calculated risks.
We are witnessing a growth mindset and a willingness to "drop our tools," with governors leading the effort. Anne-Marie Slaughter, the CEO of New America, pointed out in an article in the New York Times how quickly some industries, many resistant to change, were able to "drop their tools" and realize positive outcomes. Colleges and universities moved all of their classes online in a short period of time. Since travel has almost halted, the United States government has
reduced plane and car emissions. While unfavorable for the airlines, this is good news for the planet.
Technology that used to separate and isolate us is now being used to connect us. Zoom and other web-conferencing software have become the new operating system. This is making many of us realize that working remotely and conferencing can save resources -- time, money and energy. Yet, Slaughter also points out that these uncertain times magnify the inequities in our society. While knowledge workers can work from home, workers in restaurants and factories are being laid off, and this is painful. "But it’s also an opportunity to make the changes we knew we were going to have to make eventually."
She reinforces how we need to get more people into higher-paying jobs that can be done remotely with a computer. We need to invest in more "locally based, customized goods and services and supply chains less vulnerable to threats like cyberattacks, natural disasters and disease." The COVID-19 pandemic is a reminder of how many of the higher-paying jobs should be in caregiving from the very young to the very old and everyone in between. We have learned how indispensable these people are in times of crises.
But innovation requires universal access to fast, affordable broadband. Just as our government is obligated to provide public education, Slaughter emphasized
how it also needs to provide the broadband to enable that education. We now realize the impact and value of the internet to facilitate business, industry and education. She concludes, "We can use this crisis to create a better America."
Jann Freed, Ph.D., is a leadership development and change management consultant with the Genysys Group and author of "Leading With Wisdom: Sage Advice From 100 Experts."
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CORONAVIRUS UPDATE
Emergency proclamation enables DMACC nursing students to complete program
Nearly 100 nursing students set to graduate from Des Moines Area Community College in May but who have not yet obtained their nursing licenses will be able to complete their education and be hired as nurses, under a section of the disaster emergency proclamation issued by Gov. Kim Reynolds on Friday. The governor has authorized the Iowa Board of Nursing to issue emergency licenses to nurses who have not yet obtained their initial licensure so long as they have completed their education requirements. "This proclamation was absolutely necessary for us to graduate our nursing students this May," said Arthur Brown, DMACC academic dean of health and public services, in a news release. "We still have some work ahead but we are working hard to prepare work-ready nurses to help fight this crisis." Because of the potential threat of nursing students contracting COVID-19 and the limited supplies of personal protective equipment, nursing students are not being allowed to complete their clinical hours in most facilities across the state. The proclamation, effective through April 16 unless extended, enables nursing students to meet their requirements through simulation experiences.
See updated coronavirus news at businessrecordcovid19.com.
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THE INSIDER NOTEBOOK
Des Moines variance sets precedent for universal restroomsBY EMILY BARSKE: National building code requires designers to calculate the occupancy level of a building and then have the required number of restrooms with the assumption that half those occupants are men and half are women. Many social justice advocates argue single-stall restrooms -- which include a toilet, sink, etc., all within each bathroom unit -- are the most inclusive because they're accessible to both binary and nonbinary individuals.
In the design of the new Harkin Institute Building, lead architects Kevin Nordmeyer, principal at BNIM, and Jason Kruse, associate at BNIM, have set a precedent for inclusive restrooms. The two wanted the design to include single-user restrooms because they allow more space for people with disabilities who use mobility devices like wheelchairs in addition to being inclusive to all gender identities. Read more
MORE NOTEBOOK ITEMS: Read more Insider bits and bites of the finer side of Iowa business online.
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CORONAVIRUS IN THE NEWS
Iowa JBS workers say they're packed in too tight to stay safe from coronavirus
Des Moines Register: A Latino advocacy group is questioning whether meatpacking giant JBS is doing enough to protect the 2,700 workers at its Marshalltown pork processing plant, saying employees are crowded on the company's production floor, in locker rooms and in other parts of the facility. The Iowa League of United Latin American Citizens' concerns come as JBS USA has confirmed that a worker at its pork
processing plant in Ottumwa tested positive for COVID-19; another employee from that plant is self-isolating at home. JBS and other meat processing companies with large plants in Iowa say they're taking action to protect workers, including checking their temperatures and looking for other symptoms of the coronavirus before employees enter plants; staggering shifts and breaks; and providing more space for workers.
Florida, Pennsylvania issue stay-at-home orders amid coronavirus outbreak
CNBC: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf issued statewide orders today mandating all residents to stay at home during the coronavirus outbreak. They join New York, New Jersey, California and Washington — all among the hardest hit by the spread of COVID-19 — in implementing restrictions on people’s movements as an attempt to keep the virus from spreading further.
- Dow starts second quarter with 974-point loss as virus anxiety grows (Reuters)
- Zoom takes lead over Microsoft Teams (Reuters)
- Auto sales plummet in first quarter as buyers stay away (New York Times)
See updated coronavirus news at businessrecordcovid19.com.
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NEWS BRIEFS
FDA calls for heartburn drug Zantac to be pulled from market immediately
CNN: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is requesting that manufacturers pull all prescription and over-the-counter ranitidine drugs, known by the brand name Zantac, from the market immediately, the agency announced today. The FDA noted that an ongoing investigation has determined that levels of a contaminant in the heartburn medications increase over time, and when stored at higher-than-normal temperatures the material poses a risk to public health. The contaminant, N-nitrosodimethylamine or NDMA, is a probable human carcinogen and the FDA has been investigating levels of it in ranitidine since the summer of 2019.
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ONE GOOD READ
‘Virtual’ doesn’t have to mean second best. Your remote team can outrun traditional onesFast Company: Over the course of the last three weeks, as corporate America has made the transition from meetings in conference rooms and common spaces to Zoom calls and other online sessions, I’m struck by the number of confident, competent executives who’ve confessed to me that they’re struggling to lead teams in the virtual world. Their efforts to get groups to collaborate or coalesce around a topic are met with crickets in the background and listless bobbing of heads on a screen.
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Queen Elizabeth, King Zog, and You
JOE KRISTAN, CPA, PARTNER, EIDE BAILLY
What do the Queen of England, the Pope, and every family business CEO have in common? They aren’t going to be around forever.
While the Queen and the Pope can rely on ancient traditions for their succession, closely-held businesses need to make their own plans. How well it’s done can determine whether the business endures like the House of Windsor or vanishes like the line of Zog of
Albania. FULL ARTICLE >
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KCCI TOP STORIES
Metro teens working to deliver for at-risk Iowans
Some metro teenagers are working together to deliver groceries to Iowans who are at a higher risk of getting COVID-19. Johnston High School junior Tanner Kenin wanted to help people, rather than sit at home while school is out. He created "T's Angel Hands" four days ago and has already helped out people in his community. Anyone in the Polk County area who needs help with grocery shopping can reach out. You can order your groceries online from any local store. Then contact "T's Angel Hands" and they'll pick up and drop off for free. Read more
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Tonight:
Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low 49. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph.
Thursday:
Cloudy in the morning, then off and on rain showers during the afternoon hours. Thunder possible. High 62. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
Get the latest KCCI weather.
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BUSINESS RECORD IOWA INDEXThe Iowa Index is an unweighted average of all 20 Iowa-based public companies. Below is a live look at those 20, plus 15 additional companies with large operations in Iowa.
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