Hi folks,
Wanted to drop a line to see how you are doing in these crazy times.
There is a naturally lot of uncertainty and anxiety both in our organisations and personally especially as the rules are still shifting out there. Some people are adjusting to work at home - some are scoping out the situation - others are adjusting in other ways. This can put little strain on relationships with friends and family.
I'm interested in how you are managing this ...
For me it's important to have my support network on speed dial / Skype / Zoom / Crystal-Ball. Also good for me to list what support network I have. So if you feel the need to reach out at anytime please do so (I'm pretty easy to find on most networks as heathwilder). Stay safe out there and remember to be proud of all the great work you are doing.
Heath
I'm so grateful for this community's support (and especially your dedication to caring for us all, Heath! Thank you).I think I'm doing okay. Things feel intense, but I have great coping mechanisms from therapy and a really great support network. I'm definitely here to help as well, should anyone need a listening ear.As an organization, we're really trying to run head first into working from home and staying connected. It's an interesting thing to tackle - some of us feel very comfortable with a remote set up, and others are finding that the office environment is really vital to them. Some great ideas are being generated about how to make things work (and I'm seeing a lot of those ideas mirrored here on the forums).
It's been an experience but I think I am holding up ok. [Virtual hugs to all who need them]. For me, I am actually really comfortable working from home - it makes the stress of this situation easier to be surround by my home. I do worry that we a doing to much, pushing ourselves to create to much to "keep in touch" with our patrons that we are not giving ourselves or them time to breath.
Remember you are all amazing, you are all so inspiring and what we do matters.
That's so true regarding self checkin's and support. We have a daily town hall via teams meeting with the whole company. The Dancers are still doing Zoom classes and the staff is welcome and involved - everything from Pilates to Yoga to whatever style you imagine. It's also helping with our new remote dance class business model. So lucky that I got WordFly Pages up before this so we could contact all the patrons and get feedback that way. My team of 1.5 would get crushed otherwise.
I love remote but I know that a lot of folks find it really hard. We are not forced that way but a good 60% of the team are work from home. Interestingly it has made us closer as an org. We have daily townhalls that we are all remoting into. I'm actually amazed that we COULD do this so quickly. Also heart goes out to those that can't and will look towards helping those folks that need it especially the casual workforce.
Heath, would you be willing to talk with me more about your remote dance class model? We are exploring this at the Flynn (VT) and are wanting to do it thoughtfully and in support of our teaching artists continuing to make a living.
I also love working from home (and the heated blanket that comes with it). I love the idea of daily townhalls! We're having our first virtual all-staff meeting tomorrow and I think that will help people feel more settled.
Yeah sure can. Sent you a private msg
I am sad about conference being canceled
I wonder if we could still have some of the planned sessions remotely.
This went across my mind as well. I would think that the network would be supportive of folks gathering folks together for such things as we do in the virtual TUG community. For things analytic, the analytic Coffee community will continue to support special topics as we are doing over the next two weeks.
the question is should we self organize something bigger?
I am also disappointed about TLCC, but if I am honest I am a little relieved...with the budget implications of these shut downs, I know it would have been impossible (and unfair) of me to try and justify the expense to my organization of attending this season. I am disappointed now, but I know come August when we are coming out of this heading into our new seasons I will feel better.
Next years topics are also writing themselves. I think we should have an entire group of disaster preparedness.
Perhaps we should reach out about creating some TN Inspire - type videos to keep us going?
Agreed. Things have been going that way with Erin's tips, TAMATO, TAFFY, Analytic Coffee. When things settle down we'll have to have a think about this.
Analytic Coffee has the feel of open space. TAMATO and TAFFY are great peer to peer style presentations. It'd be great to do that on less Analytic focused stuff.
We've been double hit with ANZTRUC and TLCC going down. Though thankfully we have a strong inter org support here locally so I hear from a bunch of locals.
Hope you are doing ok over there.
I was on the planning committee with Kaleda Davis and Eve Trojanov on The Future of Tickets, Subscriptions and Product-Based Memberships. That topic was definitely writing itself!!!
aaand it's just gone live ... check it out at https://www.sydneydancecompany.com/classes/virtual-studio/
While I am sad over the need to cancel TLCC, or rather "Nerd Summer Camp" to Heath. I get it. We are all going to have to regroup and rethink our place in the new landscape on the other side of this. I do know that we will be needed, more than ever. The ability to laugh, cry, sing, dance and learn will keep us, and the rest of the world sane. Hang in there friend. P.S. I still don't believe I sang happy birthday via slack in front of Heath's management team. These are strange times indeed
to a virtual standing ovation. It was a Donor Circle worthy performance.