Differing responses

Since the outbreak began, I’ve read a lot of emails related to pandemic response and contingency plans. Some organizations are demonstrating inspiring resilience and remarkable inventiveness.

Others are understandably struggling. Some people are feeling under attack and underappreciated; I can tell by the way their emails are written. Here are some lines that I imagine they’d like to have included — statements that didn’t make the final cut before pressing send:

• Your expectations of us are unreasonable.

• You don’t know how hard this is.

• I don’t want to deal with this problem.

• I liked the system we had before.

• I don’t want to learn new ways of doing things.

• I’m dealing with my own problems too.

• Stop comparing us to others.

• We’re doing what we think is best.

• Stop judging us so critically.

Two emails go out. One demonstrates leadership amidst challenge. The other is defensive. Maybe a little passive-aggressive. The thing is, it’s quite possible that both authors received the same number of complaints. They both have an inbox mixed with generous praise and harsh criticism. Their internal monologues may even be similar.

They’ve just chosen to respond in different ways.