An Abundance of Caution
Leaders find it almost impossible to do the "right thing"
I’m running a little late posting today’s missive. I juggle too much as it is, and the current climate of apprehension around coronavirus just adds to the pile.
I understand why we are taking the precautions we are as a nation, and some would argue that we should have started earlier. But honestly, I am getting sick (no pun intended) of hearing the phrase “an abundance of caution.”
In “an abundance of caution” colleges all over the nation have elected to move all classes to an online format. This will have a definite real-world effect (compared to the hypothetical effect of virus exposure) because most faculty are not prepared for teaching online, and many students do not have the capability of effectively taking classes online. My college is one of them—and for clarity, let me state that I don’t really see a viable alternative for the administration, so I don’t blame them.
In “an abundance of caution” those of us from my college who attended a major academic conference in Seattle a couple of weeks ago were told yesterday to “self-quarantine.” I actually had to leave in the middle of a class. Again for clarity: I have no symptoms, nor do any of my colleagues. In fact, as far as I know, not a single one of the thousands of attendees have any symptoms over a week after the event. Given the nature of national concern, I am certain I would have heard about any possible infection through that route. But I also understand why the administration made that determination, despite the irreparable effect on my students as we juggle the semester schedule.
In “an abundance of caution” the bishop of Holston Conference (where the two churches I pastor live) strongly urged the 842 (or so) churches in the conference to suspend worship services and other large gatherings for two weeks. For those who don’t know, bishops in the United Methodist Church cannot order things like that, but their pronouncements carry a lot of weight. In conjunction with the cabinet, this directive becomes mandatory. Not least is our concern that we have so many older members, who are the most vulnerable in the rare circumstance of an actual infection. The two churches I pastor decided to suspend services.
The problem for leadership
In such a situation, leaders will find it almost impossible to make the “right decision,” at least in the eyes of their followers, because one of two things will happen:
These efforts will succeed. That means that the rate of infection spread will slow and eventually stop. In that case, many will call the decisions to move classes online and suspend worship services “overreaction,” because the threat never developed. The sentiment was expressed by a colleague at the college yesterday who quipped, “My anti-unicorn pills are working well. You don’t see any unicorns around here, do you?”
These efforts will fail. That means that the rate of infection increases until the medical system is overwhelmed and we find ourselves in the position of Italy, where leaders waited until it seemed sensible to implement control measures, and so doctors must make heartbreaking triage decisions about who gets treatment and who is left to die. In that case, many will say that leaders didn’t move quickly enough, didn’t take the right steps to ensure public safety, etc.
Here’s the thing: as Dr. Wes Wallace, an adjunct professor of emergency medicine at the School of Medicine at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and medical director of State Medical Assistance Team 2, based at the University of North Carolina, has said:
For social distancing to be effective, it must begin early—so early that it may feel unneeded and silly. If we wait until its need is obvious, it is too late.
What a position for a leader! But it’s not uncommon. When you are a leader, no matter what you do someone will think you should have done something differently.
From my perspective: I think “we” are overreacting. But given the consequences of underreaction (people would die), I would rather overreact than underreact, and it’s almost impossible to accurately determine the “sweet spot.”
For that reason, I urge you to recognize the impossible situation of the decision-makers, and also to “be the church” in this situation—care for those so deeply affected by all this, whether it be sick people or (much more commonly) people negatively affected by the panic, like hourly workers who find their paychecks greatly reduced because their employer closed.
Brothers and sisters, we ask you to respect those who are working with you, leading you, and instructing you. Think of them highly with love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. (1 Thess. 5:12-13, CEB)
Don’t do anything for selfish purposes, but with humility think of others as better than yourselves. Instead of each person watching out for their own good, watch out for what is better for others. (Phil. 2:3-4, CEB)
Peace.
Great thoughts