I’m dating myself a bit, but there was a one-hit-wonder song in the late 90’s by the band Semisonic called “Closing Time”. It’s one of those really catchy tunes that you occasionally hear on 90’s music stations…anyone 40 or older would instantly recognize it and probably sing along. Anyway, there is a line in the lyric that has always struck me as meaningful…which is ironic since the song is about closing time at a bar and is anything but deep or moving. The evocative line is: “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” Think about that – every time something new starts, something else must end.  Whether its career, relationship, business strategy, or culture the “new normal” replaces the “old normal”. In fact, oftentimes, its necessary to end something for something better to start.

The time has come for many businesses to reopen their doors and bring people back to work. However, as you may have already figured out, it’s more complicated than just that.

In Episode 6 of The Skillwork Forum, “Responsibly Reopening America”, Brett and Tim have some practical tips on how to support your team as your organization gets back up and running.

Visit skillwork.com for help in overcoming the skilled labor shortage in America 🛠🇺🇸

This has been a challenging season for all us struggling through the coronavirus, but this week has been especially so for me and my family. My 81yr old Dad had to have a critical surgery this week in a large city still in a strict covid-19 lockdown. Because of the complexity of the procedure, Dad would be required to travel to a hospital located in a big bustling city that my parents were unfamiliar with. One that is much different than their small Arkansas hometown.  Given the current environment, Dad would be required to go through the procedure, including several days in ICU and then several more days locked down in recovery and rehab, apart from his family and wife of 60+ years. I was fortunate to be able to jump on a plane – a singularly eerie and strange experience these days – and join my mom in our remote vigil from a temporary Airbnb apartment across the street from the hospital. Despite the circumstances, time spent with my mother and keeping all the rest of the family informed has been a true blessing in disguise. Difficult times draw us together and help us focus on what is really important in life and this week has definitely done that for us. Another positive is the location and view from our temporary apartment that looks out over a beautiful urban park.