Leadership In a Pandemic
Today we face an inescapable fact: every economy, industry, business, community, family and individual is threatened by an unprecedented pandemic. For the first time in recent history, there is a real and immediate necessity for selfless interdependence and collaboration among individuals, communities and nations – and a consequent need for leadership. But the “leadership” that is required by this pandemic is not simply a wielding of power, or a keen sense of political strategy. Rather the unique characteristics of the COVID-19 pandemic compel two key, interrelated components of leadership: (1) the de-prioritization of short-term or egoistic interests, and (2) a global and humanitarian consciousness that prioritizes the well-being of all over the privilege of few. Some will swiftly rise to meet this challenge because they naturally embody these two principles in their character and ideologies. But others will delay and fail. In the end, much will be revealed, and these revelations will inform a transformed polity and world.
One of the most novel characteristics of this crisis is how both the problem and the solution hinge upon aggregate actions and inactions of everyone. The ease and speed with which the virus spreads mean that the infection of one individual quickly risks infection to us all. The lack of vaccines or treatments necessitates costly and unpopular social distancing and isolation, which is not only contrary to our natural human condition but will have devastating impacts on incomes, industries and economies. We cannot rely upon voluntary, individual action to effectuate such difficult decisions in the aggregate. Rather, social distancing strategies have required orders from elected officials. And to be effective, these orders had to be made at a time when there was no political reward for doing so. In other words, timely acts of genuine leadership have been necessary to mitigate the single most widespread and significant crisis affecting our world.
The other novel characteristic of this crisis is that we cannot solve the crisis for some without solving the crisis for us all. The only sustainable solutions require a global and humanitarian consciousness. Unlike other disasters that have affected our nation and world (including natural disasters and war), the COVID-19 virus does not differentiate according to geographic borders, wealth, political affiliation, race or other social differentiators. The nationalistic view that this crisis would be limited to China or surrounding countries only created devastating delays. Travel bans might have slowed the spread, but they cannot halt the virus. The inefficient distribution of healthcare equipment and resources has grave consequences since an unmitigated concentration of infection in one locale will eventually have impacts everywhere. In the end, any efforts to prioritize the needs of certain groups over the needs of all populations will be – at best – ineffective as the virus boomerangs with resurgences across the world leaving a lengthier and more destructive trail of depressed economies, stressed healthcare systems and lost lives. The only way out of this crisis is through immediate collaborative actions and inactions that consider and benefit our entire global community. The only way out is through leadership.
Delayed acts of leadership equate to no leadership at all. Analytical modeling confirms that the longer the delay in imposing social distancing protocols, for instance, the larger the cost by way of longer shut down measures, further depressed economies, over-stressed healthcare systems and greater incidence of illness and death. With a present death rate of over 1000 per day in the United States alone, the time for leaders to step up has passed. And the longer the stagnation, the more effort we may be required to undertake. For example, social distancing is not effective among groups that live in close quarters and lack the security of food or shelter. In India, an aggressive and early nationwide lockdown may be insufficient to halt the spread of the virus since it has caused hundreds of thousands of migrant workers to be left without jobs, means or shelter, creating a formidable viral vector for further spread of the disease. Reports indicate that police in India have used force to try to compel compliance with lockdown orders. But the virus will not respond to a police stick; rather the provision of food and shelter are the needed supports. In the end, the COVID-19 pandemic provides little room or reward for prioritizing the needs of the privileged few, delineating according to geographic borders or favoring groups according to status or loyalties. We have never experienced a crisis that is so widespread, uniform and dangerous and where the only solution is to protect us all.
This pandemic presents a test of leadership and a turning point in our world history. Those who will emerge as successful leaders in this pandemic are those who can prioritize the needs of many over the privilege of few and who can swiftly make hard choices that are unprofitable, unpopular or self-deprecatory. Some come by these characteristics instinctively. For others, overcoming short-term, egoistic interests is unnatural. Yet the companies that have prioritized the health of their employees and communities by offering paid sick leave before being told to do so by public relations professionals will reap rewards. The governors and mayors who make politically unfavorable decisions to impose stay-at-home orders ahead of widespread illness will stand as heroes tomorrow. By contrast, there will be no prize for those who relied upon inaction, blame, political favoritism or self-interest. At best, these strategies are ineffective; at worst, they are deadly.
But just as humans are potential viral vectors for the spread of disease, we are also accelerators for a trajectory of accountability and change. A crisis of this magnitude and breadth will not be forgotten. We can applaud acts of true leadership through what we buy and how we vote. We can similarly hold accountable those who failed to timely respect the equalizing force of this virus. This pandemic creates a power by revealing strength and exposing weakness. In short, this pandemic presents the conditions for the advancement of genuine leadership and, we can hope, a better world.