Research shows that survivors of serious injuries, loss of loved ones, and combat more often than not remain psychologically stable, and even experience increased well-being after trauma in the form of posttraumatic growth. The author draws on psychological studies of survivors of 9/11 and the 2004 Madrid bombings to bring lessons to business leaders navigating the current crises of 2020, from the Covid-19 pandemic to racial violence to failing economies. He concludes that two theories will help leaders carry forward: affirming values and emphasizing community.
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The last several months have stacked painful experiences on top of each other: a global pandemic, economic collapse, and new reminders of perennial racial injustice and police violence. This July, rates of depression and anxiety in the U.S. were more than triple those of early 2019. The simple question, “How are you?” has turned into an emotional minefield.
