“Trouble produces endurance, endurance produces character and character produces hope.”
-Romans 5:3-4
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and in my role on SAFEchild’s Board of Directors, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about resilience—the struggle to persevere after adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).
While little can compare to the horror of abuse and neglect, the current pandemic has created adversity for all of us: at work, at home, in our families and in our communities.
Every day, I admire the resilience in the people who surround me:
- I’m grateful for my resilient children, who have taken on full ownership of their schoolwork and additional responsibility around the house.
- I’m grateful for my resilient coworkers, who have adapted to our new normal with grace and continue to provide valuable counsel to our clients and our agency.
- I’m grateful to my resilient community, who has stepped up in countless ways to help those in need.
And every day, I recognize that there are millions of others who are demonstrating resilience against challenges far greater than mine.
The stories we share this week inform how we can promote resilience in ourselves, our employees, our customers, our companies and each other, as we consider the opportunities and blessings that lie ahead.
-Matt Ferraguto
1 A New Responsibility
How you’re communicating with your employees has more of an impact than you realize. Here’s why that matters—and what you should be doing about it. Article by the Public Affairs Council.
2 Homeschooling for All
As you remain isolated at home, Class Central is bringing the nation’s top minds to you, with hundreds of Ivy League courses now available on the site free of charge. Immerse yourself in topics, such as HOPE: Human Odyssey to Political Existentialism, that keep your mind active, while preparing you for the new normal ahead. Classes via Class Central. Shared by Lauren Long.
3 Human Touch
As many of us are working from home, we’re seeing our colleagues and professional acquaintances through a more human lens than ever before—and companies need to react accordingly. Article by Seth Matlins.
4 Tech for Good
Through the challenges of this pandemic, a silver lining of companies sparking innovation for good and cultivating new partnerships has emerged. It’s a spirit of forward-thinking we can all take with us, even after the immediate crisis subsides. Article by Natasha Mascarenhas.
5 A New Era for the Internet?
As we’re all spending more time at home, Americans are starting to use the Internet differently—often ditching our phones and seeking new ways to connect. And as communicators, we need to be meeting people where they are. Article by Ella Koeze and Nathaniel Popper. Shared by Halley White.
6 Laying the Groundwork
While the pandemic is far from over, businesses need to start preparing today for what their recoveries will look like on the other side of this public health emergency. Here are five essential questions businesses leaders need to consider. Article by Carsten Lund Pedersen and Thomas Ritter. Shared by yours truly.