Lessons Learned from the Past Two Years

It's been over two years since the world as we knew it was forever changed by the coronavirus pandemic.  For so many, it’s been a revolving door of fear, fatigue, uncertainty, suffering and loss. But despite the negatives, we’ve also experienced a surprising amount of adaptability, discovery, and perspective.  

Below, four members reflect on these last couple of years, and how they have applied some lessons learned to their personal and professional lives. 

Carol J. de Fries
Vice President of Workforce & Economic Innovation, Community College of Philadelphia

To be useful and productive, we need to be open to continuous learning and to be adaptable. The last two years taught us that almost everyone can adjust to circumstances that previously seemed impossible, as long as you provide support, resources, and guidance along the way. This requires a willingness to learn a new skill, learn a new program, learn a new format, and learn and create new processes. Sometimes the unimaginable can happen, and we also need to know how to reach into our toolbox and adapt to fit the new norm. 

Larry Ceisler
Principal & Founder, Ceisler Media & Issue Advocacy

The last two years have proven that you never know what tomorrow will bring. Being nimble, resourceful and flexible have always been valuable tools…they’ve now become an essential part of success in the workplace and in finding the balance between work and life. The more our work has changed—balancing in-person vs. remote, becoming more aware of health and safety in the workplace, learning about the broader social impacts that our work can have—the more we rely on those foundational elements that make a successful business where people want to work.

Carol Pate, Ed.D., FCPP
Vice President of Education and Research, EnvisionWell
The biggest lesson I’ve learned these past two years is that beauty and connections keep me sane and whole. During lockdown, it felt like my childhood where I was essentially locked in the middle of the desert with little to no resources. Now however, I had just purchased an iPhone 12 pro that brought flowers, trees, and plants to life. Facebook became my palate to share this beauty with family and friends. I now ensure I’m outside everyday under nature’s arena noticing its ever changing scenes. Travel has resumed to hug loved ones. I’m grateful. 

Dr. Rahmanda S. Campbell
Executive Director and Founder, The Reading Clinic, Inc. Dyslexia Services for Children and Adults
The biggest lessons I’ve learned over the past two years have always been an integral part of my life, yet in light of COVID-19, an unprecedented life-changing experience; gratitude, self-care, and resilience are paramount and valued on a much deeper level. I’ve learned personally and professionally that I have the capacity for resilience during hardship. Adaptability, flexibility, preparation, preparedness, and the ability to pivot are also highly regarded lessons that I’ve embraced from the past two years.

Through daily reflection, my observation became apparent as a result of an intentional focus on gratitude and self-care. Adapting to mandated shutdowns which isolated all of us from our normal day-to-day routines, I embraced solitude in an effort to enjoy my focus on self-care, allowing me to reflect, replenish, restore, and recharge to implement intentional daily life practices for spiritual, emotional, physical, and financial wellness; and develop innovative educational solutions through The Reading Clinic to reduce learning loss.

Children, especially those with learning differences and those from poverty-stricken families suffered significant achievement gaps during school closures. As a result, a generation of youth are at risk. I realized an urgent need to pivot and expand The Reading Clinic by designing a unique system of educational support to mitigate learning loss for kindergarten through 12th grade students. Hence, The Reading Clinic Cyber Academy and K – 12 Academic Recovery Plan were created which also includes options for adult learners.

While we can all agree that academic success is imperative in today’s society, mental health wellness is essential to the personal growth and development of our youth. The increase in many reported mental health problems is a direct result of families trying to manage childcare, academic support, healthcare, food security, job loss, isolation and / or losing loved ones to COVID-19. For this reason, a Social-Emotional Learning Curriculum is now a fundamental part of educational and mental health wellness solutions through The Reading Clinic.

The past two years illuminates how we need each other to nurture and maintain healthy communication with loved ones, friends, and colleagues. Technology has played a beneficial role in helping to maintain healthy human connections with family, extended family, friends, and in some cases establishing new social connections. I have become an official Zoomer, Go to Meeting, and FaceTime Guru.

Whether it’s learning new skills and tools, finding a balance at home and within the workplace, or spending time with loved ones – the past two years have shaped our personal and professional lives, pushing us to not only survive, but to evolve, adapt, and find hope. 

Thanks to these leaders for sharing their stories, and for their support of Center City Business Association. You can learn from them and connect with more business leaders at our upcoming networking events. 

To inquire about being featured in these types of member roundup articles, please contact ccba@centercitybusiness.org.