by Deb Boelkes
Question #1: As of now, how has the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the various work, community, and travel-related restrictions being set in place impacted your life, personally and professionally?
The entire world has shifted to a different paradigm. I don’t believe any person on Earth has been left unaffected by the pandemic. Some of us have the resources to adjust fairly well. But many are suffering tremendously either directly because of the virus, or indirectly because of the economy lockdown—or both. With communities of color being especially hard-hit, I’m listening both to protestors’ legitimate complaints, and to leaders earnestly looking for solutions. I’m heavy-hearted over the suffering, and spend more time than before on investigating resources for my followers and reaching out to help where I can.
- For me personally, all professional events have been canceled for the foreseeable future. This would have been an exciting year with writing conferences, seminars, book launches, performances, and a very special celebration already two years in planning. So my “inner extrovert” is disappointed, stressed over the loss of hard-won momentum, dejected at the loss of opportunities, and worried as to how long the current situation is sustainable.
- However, there’s another side to all this. My “inner introvert” is wildly happy at being stuck in my office, where I’m writing more than ever, sorting through files, reorganizing major projects, clearing out “dead wood” and maximizing the time with a renewed sense of order. The time turns into a gift when I use it well, and the relief from the usual hectic pace offers great opportunity for reflection.
- In that quiet, I can see where our communities, country, and world needed to hit the “reset” button. Skies over major cities are clearer than they’ve been in decades; suppressed voices are being listened to seriously; tremendous expressions of selfless devotion are on display everywhere. Maybe we could characterize this chapter of life as “less going and more knowing.”
Question #2: What heartfelt "best-ever boss" words of wisdom do you have to share with leaders and aspiring leaders?
I often consult for fellow authors, which I’m still doing a lot during the pandemic. But I also speak for author and writer groups, and do events at bookstores, especially independent bookstores, which are such important community hubs. Both of these avenues are closed for now, so I thought about how I might continue to support authors, bookstores, and readers with much of the economy closed.
I started a program called #SendIndieGiftBook. How it works? First, I locate a reader who’d love to receive a free book during the shut-in. Second, I locate an independent bookstore near them still able to ship books out to customers. Third, I order my latest book from that store and have it shipped to the customer as a gift. Fourth, I post to social media using the hashtag I created, which brings attention to the store. So far, I’ve had my books shipped from about 30 indie bookstores all over the country. What wonderful conversations, emails, posts and texts I’ve been receiving from the readers and from the stores! This is a win-win, and any author can participate by following these same steps. For less than the budget I would have spent for book tour and conference speaking, I’m reaching readers in a new way, showing fellow authors how to reach new followers, and supporting indie bookstores.
In 1913 Mohandas Gandhi published a piece in which he said, “We but mirror the world. All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our body. If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change.” This gradually evolved into the current expression, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” Could there be a stronger, clearer message for leadership? I love that this includes both head and heart. We must “use our heads” to notice these changes. But we can only effect these changes in ourselves by using our hearts.
Mara writes the blog “Head to Heart” and writes best-selling Milford-Haven Novels.
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