With the dismantling of abortion rights in the US, several of my clients have reached out to ask for guidance on how to support their staff in the aftermath. I’ve written some (imperfect, because I, too, am gutted by this news) guidance that I hope will be useful to leaders in other organizations as well.

With each white supremacist attack on our democracy and the values that guide us, I, like many of you, feel overcome with sadness, fear, and anger. When my exhaustion gets the best of me, I begin to feel numb. I know my go-to coping strategy is to dive into work. I have told myself that I can (or should!) “focus on work as a distraction.” But I’d like to offer you a different, more values-aligned practice we can try together: focus on work as a way to do your part in dismantling white supremacy. Here’s what I’m practicing:

Like many of you, I've felt crippled by grief this past weekend. I'm grieving George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, James Scurlock, Tony McDade, and many others whose names I'll never know. As I watch police increase violence targeting black people protesting across the country amidst a global pandemic and economic recession, it feels like too much to bear or even comprehend-- especially as I continue to grieve the comforts and routines I've altered for the sake of public health.

COVID-19 has put a lot of pressure on both personal and professional values. Companies are navigating new problems and tough decisions every day, and many are worried about compromising the diversity, equity, and inclusion values that they’ve worked to shape. Workers are facing challenges they’ve never had before, and looking to employers for support through difficult transitions.

Managers who are modeling their company’s values to build strength and resilience during this challenging time start by acknowledging two things…