A client of mine just implemented a big IT system.  'Nothing works, everything’s broken, we’re all going to lose our jobs and have to move in with the in-laws’ or so the whining goes.  Certainly, the implementation wasn’t seamless and yet the world continues to turn.  

After some analysis, the client team found the core challenges with the implementation: themselves.  See, these challenges have always been there.  The implementation just exposed the problems that previous workarounds and systems hid.  

‘This thing just lowered the waterline to expose the holes in the boat that were always there,’ observed my client.  'Now, everyone feels exposed.'

Every year the Army Corps of Engineers lowers the water in a dam-regulated lake we frequent so that homeowners can work on docks, repair walls and pick up the junk that has collected around the piers.  They lower the waterline to expose the areas that need work.  

COVID-19 lowered the waterline on marriages and relationships between parents and kids. People feel exposed because there is no where to hide.  There’s no rushing off to work to avoid loading the dishwasher and no ‘gotta get the kids to baseball’ to avoid having the difficult conversation about the quality of the TPS reports. 

This time where families are isolated together could be a tenuous time.  The lack of distraction has lowered the waterline and exposed the areas that need help.  This is the opportunity to do the work.  Shore up the footings of your marriage by having the conversation you’ve not taken the time to have.  Spend the time now available with the kids to listen to what they’re really asking when they ask to play Candyland for the 437th time this week.  

Feeling exposed is awful, yet, as any surgeon will attest, it’s only after the wound is exposed can it be healed.