Moving Into the New with Dr. Julie and Lou Show

Hi everybody, and welcome to our first show of Moving into the New with Dr. Julian Lou. We have Dr. Julie Rosenberg here today, who's a board-certified physician executive at a major pharmaceutical where she led the, uh, the drug development for patients with cancer, oncology division, and just done phenomenal things. She's brilliant. She is our physician to help us move into the new and understand really the complexities and realities of medicine today. And I'm also going to be doing that from a business perspective. I'm a social organizational psychologist by trade and by training. I run a company called Results Based Culture and Best Practice Institute, where I work with— those in corporations and also HR to help them really develop the next in their organizations and develop their strategies so that they can stay focused on goals and move into the next. And that's what this is about, moving into the next. So let's start with moving into the next by talking about a concept that Dr. Julie has been exploring with all of us and presenting, which is the infodemic. Dr. Julie, tell us a little about the infodemic.

Hi folks. Hi Lou. It's great to, uh, kick off this, uh, series that Lou and I are doing. And yes, um, as he said, I'm Dr. Julie Rosenberg, and I've been a pharmaceutical executive for the past 16 years working on drug development for patients with cancer. And now I'm an independent consultant, and much of my work now is still focused on drug development, but I'm also interested in helping folks to achieve their highest state of well-being. And that really is my passion in life. And so Right now, we're faced with not only a pandemic of COVID-19, but an infodemic. We have so much information coming at us from numerous different angles, from different sources, and everybody has a different interpretation that our heads will just swell with this information, and it's so difficult to sort it out. So I encourage folks to take it as such And in a few moments, Lou will discuss the business infodemic, and then we'll try to give you some solutions in a short period of time.

Thanks, Dr. Julian. Why don't we start with the medical? So let's talk about the things that we're hearing right now in the press, things that we really should perhaps put into perspective that we're hearing, and that also that just aren't true, that we need to make really more true inside of our own lives, things that aren't true that should be dispelled, if you will?

Well, I think one of the things that is emerging here in the US is testing for COVID-19 and antibody testing as well. So testing for the virus and antibody testing. I mean, it's been stated previously that anyone can get a test who wants a test. In various regions, that's not necessarily happening, but there are recent launches of more tests through commercial laboratories such as Quest Lab and other facilities. So that would be one thing to consider. The next thing to consider is that, um, there is a recent release of some effective treatment which is called remdesivir. For severely ill patients with COVID-19. A recently released study discussed the fact that patients in a randomized fashion, one-to-one randomized fashion, patients who received 5 days of remdesivir were about the same as patients who received 10 days of remdesivir in terms of getting to improvement in their condition. And in essence, remdesivir really helped a number of patients with serious disease to improve their condition and help them be well and to get out of the hospital. And that's really encouraging. Uh, it's not a panacea. It's really the first positive release, and many other pharmaceuticals are potentially on the horizon or are being studied, as are vaccines, to try to help us through this difficult time frame. So it's optimistic that one drug has shown to be effective in one study, and hopefully more will come thereafter.

Absolutely, Dr. Julian. I think one of the things we're seeing now is that, you know, there is misinformation, and some of the misinformation is coming from really high up, right? And, uh, remdesivir is something that, you know, we heard directly from more credible sources where What do we do with sort of this misinformation? You know, when, you know, these leaders themselves, I think, have an obligation to give ethical information. So when we provide ethical information, what does that look like for people who perhaps, who are leaders who perhaps don't have the credentials to speak of these kinds of things? How do we How do we change that perspective for leaders?

I think it's important in terms of drilling through the noise to really look for the facts. The media is really rife with a lot of misinformation. As you're saying, Lou, another thing we would want to consider is how our leaders act. We're in a situation now where those of us who are paying attention and following the CDC guidelines, which are a credible source of information. We are wearing masks, we are exercising social distancing, we are washing our hands, and we're really focused on support of the greater good. Here recently, our vice president was seen in the Mayo Clinic, the only individual not wearing a mask. And the rationale for that not wearing of a mask really is not helpful for those in society that are following our government officials and wanting to do as they do and not necessarily do as they say. So while at the time a rationale was given that Mr. Pence had tested negative for COVID-19, nevertheless, if a hospital has a uniform policy of wearing masks, it would be prudent for all concerned, including the Vice President, to wear a mask. So for leaders, it's not only what you say, it's what you do that is a model for the public. So what I do is I try to look at what I recognize as credible sources of information. If it is medical information, I really look to medical professionals for the dissemination of such information. And typically, a good leader would defer to a medical professional in terms of his or her expertise in leading those discussions. We look for scientifically factual data, or at least for the scientific method of hypothesis generation, and in this case, clinical trial development, execution, and results, rather than going on a hunch of what might work from limited information. So, we really want to follow credible medical sources when we're dealing with something as severe as a global pandemic.

Absolutely. And I think that kind of practice that you just described, it should be universal for every leader to realize that this is not a time to come out and make assumptions about anything. We have to go to medical doctors like you, board-certified physicians, people who have been actually in major corporations doing this very work. You have the credentials for it, and we have to be mindful of it. And really move into the new in that way. So, and same thing with business. I'm hearing so many people making assumptions about things that are happening and not happening. And they're in this kind of, I don't know phase. And, you know, we've been in that, I don't know phase within the pandemic for a while, right? And we're wondering, well, what is it that we need to do to really move from that place of the here and now to the there, right? Here to there. And the way that I'm seeing that working with many people today is by saying, look, may not know, and at the same time, let's move to a place where we can know. Co-creation sessions are wonderful for that. I just did one this morning where we're designing how we're going to be later on. So we're not just sitting in the now and, and sort of wallowing in where we're at. We're moving into something new. Co-creating is wonderful in doing this, and we do it in dyads— two people saying, this is the way we can be differently in in the new. And we say, these are the obstacles I see that we need to change. And we start bringing in things like, how do I feel safe to be that way, to talk in that way, to be creative, to not feel like I'm being harmed for my assumptions, and I can just be open, right? And how I'll be in the future. So instead of like being and wallowing in this pandemic craziness and COVID craziness every day, we're creating these new sessions. You should create these new sessions where you're designing what you're doing in the new. If this is the COVID-19 and pandemic is, will move, it will, it's, it's agile. So think about really what's later. What I mean by agile is we will get to a place where it's manageable. Dr. Julie was just saying before about new, new ways of new methods and new ways that we can actually try with triciclovor and various other medicines and interventions to get this under control. We'll move into a post-pandemic world. So soon enough, we will be moving into into it, it's time for businesses to start thinking about how they'll be, know, do, and believe in the future and now, because the same issues that happened before are going to happen now and in the future remotely, virtually, or on-site. Dr. Julie, what are you seeing or recommend for people in a personal basis how to really get through the stress level that we're feeling inside of organizations so we can move into that new way of being?

I think, Lou, the one of the main things we have to do is really support our well-being. We need to keep ourselves grounded and we need to really focus on our health and wellness to manage this stress. So this is an individual focus and really there's 5 things that I think people should be very, very mindful of and use in their, what I call their health toolbox. First of all is just returning to a bit of stillness. We tend to react and we tend to run around like crazy when things are remiss or out of whack, and we need to slow down. One way of slowing down and returning to still our minds and still our bodies is through gentle breathing practices, yoga, and meditation. On the flip side, Many of us feel we've been relegated to sit on the couch. We're not really at home sitting on the couch, and I know slowly we're starting to re-enter, but if we're at home, we're at home. That doesn't necessarily mean we have to be on the couch. So I'd encourage you to find a way to get some cardiovascular exercise, some weight-bearing exercise, and some gentle stretching. Just to move your body and keep your body toned during this time. Nutrition is key. We tend to go for comfort foods when we're stressed and when things feel a bit out of whack. And it really is best for your body, your mind, and your overall physiology to look toward whole foods, a balanced diet, and a regular eating plan. And in addition to a regular eating plan, we really want to pay attention to a regular plan for our sleep. We tend to sleep irregularly when we're stressed and when we are under the gun, so to speak. And this is a time I know for myself that I just haven't been sleeping well, and that's just obviously less than ideal. So if you can get 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night, as an adult and have that be restful sleep, going into some deep sleep and not waking up numerous times, you'll feel much better the next day, you know, refreshed, open, and more alive. And so these are just some tidbits of information. And lastly, you know, keep connected. If you are still at home, it's great to do Zoom calls, it's great to pick up the phone, send a text message. Just be mindful of the fact that We're not in isolation, we're not relegated to be isolated, we can connect, it's just the way that we connect is different. All these things that I've just mentioned will help you manage your stress and think better to be able to do what Lou's talking about, to co-create, bring yourself to that co-creation in the best way you can.

Actually, I completely understand. And I think that's one of the things we're thinking about the most is, you know, how can we create this kind of schedule for ourselves every day and stick to it? Because we do it on a Monday or Wednesday, but Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, we immediately go into it. And I'm guilty of that as well, is keeping that kind of structure. How do we sort of train our minds to say, you know what, this is important? Because I know I feel amazing when I could do a workout and the day changes completely. So it's like, giving— it's almost giving yourself permission, right, to be that, that kind of newer way of being, right?

Yeah, I mean, and, and at the end of the day, I'm a physician and I work with cancer patients, but, uh, at the end of the day, what we have is our health, our well-being, our groundedness, our families. And, um, when we think of it that way, our health becomes perhaps a different level of priority. And I would say if we can structure our days, if we can write things down, uh, if we have trouble keeping on task and on point to help remind ourselves that there are various things that are important for us to do and even to enjoy throughout our day, we're really so much better off in terms of accomplishing those goals. We can use a journal to do that, or there's many prescribed, uh, task lists that you can pick up or of course make your own or use an app. But the reality of it is, is prioritize yourself so you can prioritize others and your work. You come first and foremost. Self-care isn't selfish. It's critical.

That's outstanding. That's outstanding. And I think that kind of what we can do on a personal level is so important for us all. And also to say to ourselves, well, It's time, and we were just on this call yesterday, and we did a call with Marshall as well on another time, and one was for entrepreneurs in Brazil. The others were for others who were coaches, and people are having very similar questions, which is, you know, what is it that, how can I take my passion, what I do, and enable others to feel it too, so that they'll be as passionate right now in this time of pandemic awareness as much as others? And I think that's really a key is, you know, what, how How is it that we can now move into a kind of a newer way of thinking about, you know, providing our passion to others? How do you provide your passion to others when there's people who are effectively committed and who is probably about more like the 20% of people versus the 60% of people who are more normative or continuance, which basically means that they have to be there, right? It's for their families or they need salary or something of that nature. And the other The other 20% are really just completely disengaged. So what do you do with the 60-20-20 rule? Who do you focus on? Who do you bring in? Who do you hire, especially during this time? And when you let go of the people, who do you let go when you look at the 60-20-20 rule? And how do you identify those people? So, you know, because it's the actively disengaged, really, that brings all of our energy down, just like we do inside of organization, inside of our personal life. We can easily bring our energy down with people that are within our organizations. And it's more important than ever to really demand that we bring our energy up, to do, to be the personal and committed to everything we do and be effectively committed to what we do. And really the way that I'm seeing doing that is this connectedness that we have through people and helping people, trying things, experimenting with things, really getting into the what and why people are feeling and doing the way they're feeling. And then kind of seeing what, perhaps it's personality, perhaps it's communication, doesn't really matter. What matters is, are you willing to work with us to use your strengths and do something really extraordinary? And a lot of social entrepreneurs are saying that, saying, I need this now more than ever. A lot of more entrepreneurs in general are doing this. I need more passionate people now more than ever because we need to put 200% into this. It's no longer 100%. It's no longer, hey, chill out. Like Dr. Julie said, this is not couch time. This is not couch time. We're not really being asked to sit on our couches. We're really being asked to stand up and to lean in to this challenge. We all need to be better leaders right now. So Dr. Julie, this has been a great show. Final words from Dr. Dr. Julie?

Yeah, I think just in closing this out, um, take care of yourself. You only have one body and you only go around once, as best we know. It's really important to take care of yourself and then to bring that momentum to the workplace and to the rest of your life. You will find that if you can take care of yourself in the ways we've been talking about, that you will feel much more grounded and much more able to weed through the noise. As leaders, we should emulate what we ask others to do. I'm sure in your organizations you probably have at least a small component of focus on well-being, most do. Be that focus, be well.

That's awesome, Dr. Julie, and that living the change we seek in the world is just such good advice right now. And so essential for us all. And, and so from, from all of us here with the new show, bringing, moving into the new with Dr. Julianne Liu, we bid you well. And next time you're gonna see another fantastic show. We're gonna keep it a surprise, but wait till you see next show. It's gonna be phenomenal. Dr. Liu, great to have you on. It's wonderful to see you all. We'll see you next time.

Be well, guys. Take care.