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Your team doesn’t need a hero
The world doesn’t either
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”
So begins, Charles Dickens’ novel, A Tale of Two Cities — perhaps bearing one of the greatest opening passages to a novel (aside from Melville’s Moby Dick or Dostoevsky’s Notes from the Underground). In this opening passage, Dickens is writing of paradoxical events in England during the 18th century — the contrast between classes, cultures and countries.
I don’t know of a single passage so aptly representing the current state of affairs the world over.
Dickens’ primary focus was the “haves” and the “have nots.” Those still exist today. With the current global crisis of COVID-19, we are watching races become stigmatized. Those testing positive are stigmatized. People are frightened of seeking healthcare or interacting with healthcare professionals, creating situations where they are self-isolating. A clear picture emerges of the haves and the have nots — those who have Coronavirus (or may have it) and those who have not.
There is also a contrast between industries — those who have and have not. Some industries are partially or completely shut down as a result of the virus. No movement, whatsoever. Other industries are overwhelmed and cannot meet demand.
Nowhere is this more true than in healthcare. Hospitals have more patients than they could ever hope to serve. Healthcare workers are needed, but many are sick or afraid to continue working, compounding the problem of volume. We’re too sick to treat the sick — a paradox in itself. Business is good, but it’s the worst business to be in right now. If you own a hospital, it’s the best of times from a financial perspective, but the worst of times from almost any other perspective.
I once penned an article titled, Healthcare Design Is About More Than Aesthetics. In…
