The news headlines are consistently full of fear, with the most immediately threatening being the coronavirus.
A virus is a small infectious thing that makes a copy of itself but only inside the living cells of an organism. It can’t live on its own. It will die. Viruses can infect all life forms, from animals and plants to microorganisms, including bacteria, and also people.
A viral infection occurs when the virus infects your body's cells, uses the cell to reproduce itself, and then leaves the cell to infect more cells in the body, which increases the amount of virus in the body. Some of the viruses we all know of are HIV, chickenpox, heptatitis and of course the common cold.
Antivirals are medications used to prevent and treat infections caused by viruses. For example, some of you may have had vaccinations for ‘flu. The coronavirus is a serious problem and it has caused deaths. However, the media have turned this into fear-inducing headlines. Ironically, the fear, anxiety and potential panic that they cause probably infect people much as a virus does.
BUT leaders take a different approach in the face of all problems.
They seek to be present in the moment of the crisis, look at all sources of help and assistance, and seek intentionally to turn the tide of battle, inspired by an inner conviction that they must overcome the potential disaster.
The first task of the leader is to keep hope alive.
They seek to operate with wisdom and seek guidance; this is necessary for governments and medics in the current crisis. They need to maintain a steadfast vision of overcoming the obstacles. In this instance they should believe absolutely that this virus will be halted, and that it will do so very soon.
But this emergency makes us aware of much more deadly 'viruses' and leaders have to address these.
These 'viruses' appear in all settings and situations where human being come together, whether in families, communities, business, government and nations. The damage caused by these 'viruses' is apparent as they rob people of hope, of love, of mercy, of generosity, of relationships, of peace, of freedom, of good physical, emotional and mental health.
Leadership can provide the 'anti-virus'.
Good leaders can teach a better way.
Great leaders personally model a more excellent way and make it possible for others to experience transformation.
Leadership can be the death of the 'viruses' that contaminate and destroy so much in life.
That’s a 2020 Vision to aspire towards!