We are all feeling the frustration and anxiety of our turbulent times. Having our economy partially shut down, COVID-19, death, shootings, riots, political unrest and weather events and more can make it all seem overwhelming. I’ve heard many people say that it seems the world is on fire. In some ways it reminds me of the turbulence of the late 1960s.
We see it and feel it within our businesses. A dealership owner friend of mine described how two customers were in his waiting area, sitting about 12 feet apart. One dropped his mask, allowing it to hang from one ear. The other harshly criticized him for being negligent and inconsiderate. Some of our employees express concern and fear when coworkers report flu symptoms or exposure to someone who tested positive for the virus. Customers are apprehensive, wondering if we are taking adequate safety precautions. I’ve heard several business operators report that customers are sometimes very critical when they perceive masks aren’t being worn or other safety precautions aren’t taken. I know one dealership that shut down part of a service aisle to accommodate social distancing. Some of the government directives seem to be helping the situation and some seem to be hurting.
Recently, I spent a day working with shop managers preparing for the possibility of looting. We moved all cars inside or to other shops. We barricaded doors and took electronic equipment out of the shops for the weekend. I never anticipated having such a concern as a collision repair shop manager, especially in the suburbs of Minneapolis/St. Paul. It’s unsettling. Fortunately, only one building was damaged. Rocks were thrown through some glass, but there was no evidence of anyone entering the building.
I’ve wondered as we come through this virus experience how insurance company behavior will change. Obviously, claims have been dramatically reduced. Some have cut staff as they rely more on photo estimating and other technologies. I doubt that many policy holders are dropping or reducing coverage, especially with all the government financial assistance out there. I suspect insurance company profits are up significantly. Will they have some compassion on the plight of repairers as we’ve seen dramatic reduction in sales? Will they be less inclined to audit and question estimate line items? Or will they use our reduction in sales as a way to increase pressure on pricing reductions as we all compete for fewer jobs?
How should we approach our frustration and other emotions? Consider the Stockdale Paradox from the book Good to Great by Jim Collins. Admiral Stockdale was the highest-ranking prisoner of war in North Vietnam. He led the rest of the men held prisoner and was the focus of the North Vietnamese effort to discredit the Americans. He was held for several years and brutally tortured. But he did survive.
Years later, Collins asked Stockdale, “Who didn’t make it out?” “That’s easy,” he said, “The optimists.” Stockdale explained that optimists often said things like “We’re going to be out by Christmas.” Christmas would come and go. Then they said the same thing about Easter, Thanksgiving and again Christmas. The result was the same; they remained imprisoned. And they died of a broken heart.
“This is an important lesson. You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end — which you can never afford to lose — with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever that might be,” Stockdale said.
These are wise words that are exceedingly appropriate for our current situation. We must be optimistic and at the same time confront the needs and issues before us. It is a discipline. In history there have been many similar situations, and we must remind ourselves that those before us overcame them.