“It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change” Charles Darwin

At the beginning of our shift to teleworking The Pinkard Group decided to have a call with the entire team at 9 AM every morning. Each call started with one of our teammates sharing “the quote of the day” and explaining why he or she chose the quote. The above Charles Darwin quote was one of the early ones. The quotes became more philosophical over time and then moved towards humor. I am so happy that we did this because the openness that emerged brought us all closer together as we shared our vulnerability while recognizing there was so much we could not control. After a while we all began to struggle to find the right quote and moved on to discuss what we have learned. One of the last quotes came from John Prine-

Grandpa wore his suit to dinner
Nearly every day
No particular reason
He just dressed that way

Others have written of the benefits of living through this time: more time connecting with family and friends, avoiding the commute, living a simpler life etc. All of this is true for me as well. I know there are lessons to be learned, and I am trying to process them. I am journaling more, and my refuge has been birdwatching. My wife, Tricia, and I have found a place 20 miles outside the Beltway where we go several times a week. There are few people there. We can drop our masks and sink into the natural world. I appreciate its importance in my life more than ever before.

The switch to teleworking has been seamless. So much so that I started to worry about the future of the office buildings in our portfolio. However, as time goes by, I realize that I (we) are not as effective as when we were in the office. I would estimate that we are working at 70% of capacity. Collaboration and learning are difficult. Impromptu meetings are doable but clunky. Learning has changed from the dynamic of discussing a question with a colleague to the more passive watching of webinars. There are advantages to teleworking, but there is no substitute for the energy, collaboration and relationship building that takes place in the office face-to-face, and that is before I even think about all the friends I am missing at meetings and industry events like those that ULI puts on.

One of the lessons I learned from the Great Recession in 2008 is that it is hard to play defense and offense at the same time. There are problems in our businesses and in our community that need immediate attention. As we struggle with non-payment of rent, work out lender forbearance to match our tenant forbearance, try to keep our buildings safe and plan for reopening, it is hard to focus on the growth of our business. We are separating the defensive personnel from the offensive ones. Let them raise their heads and look to the future. Let them run, create, make something new happen while others wrestle with the alligators. During the day, it is hard for any of us to switch our mentality from the struggle of problem solving in our portfolios and businesses to the creativity required for future growth.

One of the terms that I heard from a national ULI colleague during this time which has resonated with me is “rational optimism”. The optimist in me says that as we think about opening, there are many ways we can re-engage safely without taking undue risk. As I watch the undaunted dedication of our front line workers, I have ultimate faith that our resilience as a country will unleash a wave of discovery, creativity and ingenuity that will limit the impact of this virus in our lives and establish new ways of living that are both vital and robust. The rational part of me says let us be thoughtful and patient and do this right. While it is hard visualize, there is great opportunity in this time for each of us. As a former Greek slave turned philosopher said almost 2000 years ago.

“The greater the difficulty, the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests.”

—Epictetus

Robert Pinkard
Principal, The Pinkard Group
Member, ULI Washington Advisory Board
Member, ULI Washington Governance Committee
Member, ULI Small-Scale Development Council

In ULI Washington’s new Leadership Insights column, ULI Washington will regularly feature member leader’s thoughts and insights as we adjust personally and professional to a “new normal.”