The Great Pause

Hey GEDA friends. The summertime is used as a moment to hit the pause button, enjoy time with family and friends, get a nice vacation or two in before getting back to the hustle and bustle of the Fall season. I’ve seen photos of many of us that have gotten some of those vacations in. But I can’t help but believe this time around it’s a bit different, actually a lot different. Most of us have connected with our families more over the last 4 months then we might have in the last three summers combined.

We’re all craving for normal to return to our lives, getting back to meeting with prospects, networking with friends or even seeing our board members in person.  But I believe this is a chance to reset our norms.  Our team has not been back in the office full-time since March. We have adjusted to a method of virtual collaboration that allows us to connect with one another, our businesses, colleagues and prospects. We are not forcing our way back to the office so that we can do our jobs, we’re doing them in a new way. Now that does not mean we won’t go back, but how we work has fundamentally changed. 

I got the phrase “The Great Pause” from an op-ed I read this week, that shed light on these matters and a host of others. Our association is using this Pause as an opportunity to determine what our return will be.  How do we go beyond our norms and chart an enhanced path that meets our members where they are, being an association of inclusion and one that is committed to maintaining our competitive status?

To me personally, we have a long way to go to recruit and develop people of color into the leadership of GEDA.  When leadership lacks diversity, it lacks the full scope of opportunities.

This summer we are selecting new board members for 2021, we’re making critical decisions about our events for the remainder of the year and we are thinking about what shifts are needed for the future.

I can’t wait to see you all this year! But my ultimate prayer is that you stay safe, be healthy and refine your skills. Enjoy the rest of your summer!