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The COVID-19 crisis however, unprecedented in scope and gravity, is not a new phenomenon.

We have SARS, Ebola, Zaika, and other epidemics throughout the recent years and countries who have underserved and underfunded health structures collapsed under the weight of the health demands of populations who are sick and needed medical care and attention.

While here in Canada and other developed countries, there are aid packages for businesses and workers that are hit by the crisis, poorer countries have nothing to resort to cushion their economies and their people from economic ruin due to collapse of trade and commerce and mobility of people, goods, and ideas. 

We do not appreciate that we have the resources and the will to ensure that our economy and country withstand this crisis. We have to cooperate and lend our support to those that are more vulnerable and can easily succumb to harder situations. Even in our communities, there are pockets of deep poverty and isolation. There are many ways to touch them  and it's not always about money.

This is the time when all these talks about charity and benevolence must be demonstrated. Lest, we become the noise that nobody wants to hear. It is even useless to complain when we know that there are more suffering in other places. 

When you think about it, there are more opportunities that have opened up for us to become more united, accepting, and kind to one another.

Embrace the challenge or move out the way.

I don't know who started this in the provinces but travelling outside of the Canadian province which you are based on, can get you to be quarantined for 14 days too not just for international flights.

This policy is part of the 'overabundance of caution' that propels everyone to do the self-isolation without feeling the symptoms from the COVID-19 virus. They said that the symptoms can surface within 4-5 days after travelling and it is prudent to stay at home within those days.

The part that struck me the most was the information being peddled around that children can supposedly 'carriers' of the virus without them getting sick or feeling sick. How can one determine that unless the child has been tested officially? How can one say that the child can be a carrier so social distancing is no longer an option but a must? What is the best scientific evidence behind this assertion? 

Testings are those who are considered vulnerable, have history of international flights to areas where the virus is prevalent or exhibiting symptoms of the disease. For regular folks who are not feeling it, it is just best to do social distancing and refrain from going to crowded places where exposure is high. With this, only through testing can you officially know that you are positive or negative. 

People are dying with regular flu, other communicable diseases, and illness from cancers, hyper-tension, lungs, and liver complications. These diseases are the underlying causes of deaths from COVID-19 where seniors, small children, and people with complicated health issues are the most vulnerable.

We cannot be too blind and ignorant to follow anything that is said on the media or told by our relations. We have to question the premise and see if it fits the overall evidence paradigm presented to us by the public health authorities. 

We cannot allow paranoia to creep into our strategies to curb out the spread of the virus. We should stop hoarding and stop panic buying so that those who are in real need can get their supplies without hassle.  

The ugly head of division, hatred, and exclusion, and anti-Chinese statements are coming out now and we need to put a stop to these fear-based reactions. 

You cannot lead from a fear-based perspective. 

As professionals and workers in the marketplace, we put our best selves forward many times until we hit a breakthrough and get better at our craft. We continue to pound the pavement, get through the adversities, and refuse to be intimidated by we call the 'baptism of fire.' As the saying goes, if you are not failing, you are not trying enough.


Well said. But your next best hit is something that is totally unknown to you. Artists, professionals, experts would say time and time again, that they don't know why did their career moved to the direction unbeknownst to them. It as if, the fate, the universe, or the invisible Hand had guided the opening of certain doors and the closing of some.

​We can always improvise but there is no way to predict the outcomes of certain projects, initiatives, plans, and situations. We can be persistent which is a good substitute for talent and innate abilities. To do that, would mean to be able to prepare in high season and in low, monotonous cycles where no one seems to care. It is that instance, that we gear up for the inevitable, the crashing of walls of resistance, the slow-motion towards the fulfillment of goals, and the gratitude when success is imminent. 

My high school journalism teacher said, "the higher the objective, the sweeter the triumph." The more difficult the task, the sweeter the reward. He prodded us to meet the challenges of difficult writing assignments and roles, beating the deadline, working on our drafts, preparing to write professionally and with passion, and being able to face corrections for our good. I still remember that teacher. He was a turbo-charged nudge, always ready to look at our first initial drafts (which were always not good!) without condescension. Our first school publication bearing our names in the editorial box was the first for me, the real meaning of 'credit.' You give credit where credit is due. 

You must assume that success is not final and that failure is never fatal. You have to be skeptical about overnight, landslide victories and be equally level-headed when things don't go right for you.
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We cannot be overburdened by what the society wants us to do, what the school or the future work sector we want to work for wants us to be, or the future employer we are targeting wants us to have. Amazon didn't even ask us, the consumers if we want to buy things online. They just did it!

The industry data and the employer preferences are mere signals, either we can allow it to shape our actions  or allow ourselves the latitude to create our own path way. Organizations with boiler-plate plans, visions, and mission statements are suffering from lack of originality  for the sake of being in the 'in' group. This is at the expense of their own business value. 

Use your best judgement knowing that you have these data in front of you and can have more data if you so choose. There will be more data by the way I end this blog! 

I was in an Advanced Data Analysis course last year and it made me more assured that data will not make us think better. It will make us think less! It is us, humans who will interpret and use the data to have a best-guess of what is to come. 

We have our senses, our experiences, and life-long learning, and appreciation for practicality to guide us. Before AI and machine learning, we used a lot of those and our wisdom carried us through. Now, there is so much noise we can't have the silence we need to think and meditate on our situations. 

Do we want data to do the thinking for us or give the data its rightful place- as part of the tools in our modern toolkit?

If you stop assigning blame, instead finding the cause and then finding the right solution, then the organization or your life will be in much better shape.

It's not your boss' fault.

Everyone in the organization can make a difference and can play a vital role in keeping everyone accountable, responsible, responsive, and connected.

Holding one responsible for the culture, success, failure, or missteps of the organization is too unfair.

Yes, there are paid employees but at the end of the day, there is no culture, success, failure, or misstep that is brought about by a lone gun man. There is no higher power conspiring against you either.

What can you do right now to make your workplace (change it if you want) better than it was yesterday? 

Do your part!