CLEVELAND -- Moments like these are defining.
The coronavirus pandemic has consumed every inch of our lives. We are facing a deadly public health emergency. Our economy has slammed on the brakes so quickly we face unprecedented levels of hardship. Furthermore, the very social structure of our lives has been thrown into disorder because of the necessary restrictions placed on public assembly.
When I started fielding calls from Ohio businesses as the head of The Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network, or MAGNET, I felt like I knew what to expect. Businesses were facing impossible challenges. The order to close nonessential business added more question marks. They needed help and I expected to be asked for ways in which we could offer support.
Except that’s not what I heard at all.
What I heard was, “How can I help?”
How quickly can I retool my factory to manufacture badly needed personal protective equipment for our health care workers? How do I position myself in the supply chain to ramp up our production of ventilators?
Locally, I have seen balloon manufacturers looking at supplying gloves; plastics distributors finding ways to create face shields; whiskey producers making hand sanitizer; Amish furniture makers looking to create hospital beds; and donated 3D printers from companies looking to print face masks.
Ethan Karp is president and CEO of MAGNET, The Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network.
This is a time that unifies us toward a singular goal of coming out on the other side of the crisis. This is a moment of truth, one that reveals the true character of this community.
I have been so impressed by the leadership of individuals who have reinforced feelings of calm and hope, all while making excruciatingly difficult decisions.
But in many ways, the real battles have yet to begin. Beyond the crushing toll on human life, we can expect to pay a brutal cost economically. So many people have already lost their jobs, and many more will before this crisis is over. While there are resources, ranging from emergency Small Business Administration loans, government stimulus, and workforce support to help businesses save as many jobs as possible, even these may be too little, too late, as the overall economy struggles.
Most of us can’t retool to create front-line defenses against this virus, but there are more ways to help.
We can all be beacons of light for each other – in ways big and small. We can give hope, calm and kindness to our employees, our colleagues and our friends to be sure that we all have the strength to battle every day.
The first step is simple: ask and listen.
For every call I received about providing material support, I fielded more on how to provide it emotionally and personally. How can I make sure that people in critical roles stay safe and healthy? How do I make sure my employees at home have what they need to be productive? How do I give them the flexibility to deal with needs around child care, or elder care? How do I stay connected with co-workers, friends and family?
I have remote employees calling each other just to chat. I have seen game nights over video conference and movie nights synced over Netflix. Everyone on our team is ready to pitch in as child care routines change daily. My family even had a surprise video conference from a friend’s family, calling everyone they knew to “carol” and sing an excellent parody encapsulating the current climate entitled, “A Whole Zoom World.”
How’s that for creative retooling?
This is no doubt a difficult time, but look around and you’ll see reason for hope. We are seeing real, compassionate leadership taking care of our people and community. We are witnessing a dynamic manufacturing sector pivot production capacity to wage war on a pandemic.
Moments like these tend to reveal what you’re made of. Well, turns out we’re made of some pretty strong stuff.
Ethan Karp is the president and CEO of MAGNET: The Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network. MAGNET helps the small- and medium-sized manufacturers of Northeast Ohio make their products better, cheaper, and faster than their competition through hands-on consulting.
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