THINK LIKE A MARINE
“Think like a marine, even on your sofa” was the headline to an article in the Times on 5 May about Ben Williams, an ex-Royal Marine Commando. It talks of thinking like a commando to beat Covid-19 (CV), and of drawing on the four values that are drummed into commandos: Excellence – Integrity – Self-discipline – Humility.
His model for targeting goals is ICE – Inspiration – Courage – Enactment. Courage is one of the four spirits of the Marines, the others being Determination – Unselfishness – Cheerfulness. A Marine never gives up, so having a mantra can be a good idea: keep telling oneself “I will get through this”. And humour on the way is important. All this advice is good food for thought generally and particularly when troubled by being locked up in lockdown.
Royal Marines are “can-do” people. As the UK takes steps to revitalise the economy as has to be done, this is the time for can-do citizens, not just in the military, to take centre stage, and for the no-can-dos to be silenced.
THE NO-CAN-DO RESPONSE TO THE NEXT PHASE
UK Government (UKGOV) changed its messaging to replace “stay at home” with “stay alert”, as it takes the risk – and risk cannot be avoided – of urging the UK now to fight back and get working again, while adopting habits to keep as safe as reasonably practicable. So much of the reaction to that change has been no-can-do, at a time when determination and can-do has to be the order of the day. One does not have to think the message is good or catchy. But to react to it with “I do not know what it means” is negative beyond belief as it takes little imagination to find positive meaning. That was the precise reaction or the tone of the reaction of so much of the media and certain opposition to UKGOV. To pretend the message is hard to interpret is really insulting and has but one purpose – to belittle. It is surely obvious that “stay alert” includes focussing on good habits, remembering to stay a distance away from others, to be aware of others and the space one is in, and so on. The no-can-do attitude is not helpful, but largely only exists where there is political pursuit of an agenda, with the focus on recrimination instead of determination. The critics are those who at the same time demand citizens to be treated as adults by UKGOV.
The decisions by Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to defer relaxing rules and the message “stay at home” are to be respected as “best interests” decisions of the respective governments. Some point to the lack of unity of message as a negative, but perhaps adopting different approaches in different regions points to a positive way forward more generally, as the state of CV consequences varies so much from region to region (for example London being far ahead of many others).
In the Financial Times on 14 May, Philip Stephens bemoans that the character of Boris Johnson as a cavalryman does not suit the leadership requirement of the day to fight CV, which he says is trench warfare. Declaring the end of “exceptionalism”- that is using the great successes of the past to explain the UK’s ability to achieve big things, such as victory in wars – he recites the yawning gulf between exceptionalism and relentless focus and organisation required to stamp out CV. Such organisation is essential, yes. He compliments the lawyer Keir Starmer as keen-witted, and he does love the detail, asserting that Boris Johnson struggles with the nuts and bolts. He talks of the coming years and unremitting slog for the UK. That is, he piles on the misery as unavoidable, and questions who should lead.
Of course, it is good to have strong challenge of UKGOV’s decisions. However, it is wise to be wary of lawyers generally when it comes to deciding strategy and major decision-making: a few can do that, but the vast majority are more comfortable with prepared argument, turning pages of documents, discovering oddities and giving even the most mundane issue a seriousness to heighten anxiety.
Commentators, opponents and critics have before and are today filling the media with the perceived weaknesses of Boris Johnson. Those can be debated as can whether he is the right leader for the UK today. It is clear the UK needs a can-do UKGOV; with courage and determination to keep going; which fights for an end which is full of hope, which people can follow and believe in. It is essential that UKGOV offers action and optimism with real substance, not misery, which will be the ongoing province of those no-can-dos staying on constant alert to find the negative not the positive.
MEDIA AND CAN-DO PEOPLE
The UK is full of can-do people, and it would be inspiring to see them brought to the fore in the coming days and weeks as people innovate and adapt (other core commando skills) to do their best to revive their businesses and livelihoods to become successful again. There will be setbacks and the never give up attitude will be vital. On BBC Breakfast on 14 May it was a pleasure to see featured a bathroom seller, a plant hire operator, tennis players, and a manufacturing operator, all enthused to accept that a new and at first strange way of dealing is required, pleased to be back and have the chance to make the best of things. Up until that point the misery of care homes and interviewees bemoaning various failures dominated the viewing. The care home tragedy is indeed a tragedy, must be understood and treated with real urgency and gravity; and the managers of those homes, the NHS and UKGOV must do all they can to mitigate risk and the problems intrinsic to them. But the tone of the show was depressing and not energised with can-do people.
On 13 May the BBC interviewed a self-employed tree surgeon, who does not qualify for all the UKGOV handouts. While he could have been working, outdoors, all through the lockdown, his energy was focused on failing – why not interview a more positive worker? The interview of a multi-shop operator saw her complain constantly of her inability to open her shops because nobody was telling her what to do: there is guidance etc, she can watch and learn from others, use imagination but wanted spoon-feeding. UKGOV cannot tell each business precisely how to make their own setting as safe as possible but the owners must, as adults, take responsibility. The pity is to interview a struggling person rather than a can-do. The public need to hear from the “commandos” in society who do not give up, who solve problems, who are optimists and the media should bring them forward.
SCHOOLS ARE KEY TO RESTARTING THE ECONOMY
The batteries of the economy are quite flat in many parts. If not recharged soon, they may never restart. There is little dispute that the earlier it can get moving the more chance of a rebound – and so the taking of risk in a measured way is necessary. And as CV is assumed to be with us long-term that risk cannot be eliminated anywhere; reduced yes but there will be no safety guarantees. People will only succeed in getting back to work if new ways of operating are tried, employers and employees working hand in hand to a common goal. Perhaps a greater campaign is needed to get risks in perspective (see Sherbhert https://sherbhert.com/covid-19-keeping-perspective-on-fear-death-risk-and-new-normals/. For example, it is clear that children are at about zero risk of dying from or being seriously affected by CV and so need no real protection, and children going to school is fundamental, in their own interests and to get people working again. The worst affected by absence from school are the most deprived children.
“Don’t engage with school opening plans, Unions tell teachers”- headline from the Times of 13 May. Similar news in the Guardian that same day. On 11 May the Daily Telegraph headlines “Teachers are playing politics with children”. It reports the National Education Union (NEU) opposes schools opening “but there are no grounds on which the NEU will support the reopening of schools for the foreseeable future because it demands social distancing while simultaneously saying that is not possible in schools”. In addition, the NEU, it is reported, has told its members not to engage with lessons via the internet, no live streaming of lessons, no video calling. Where are the interests of children in all this, where the union effectively says members should not be teaching? Either the NEU is no-can-do or they do not want the UKGOV to succeed. Unfortunately, those who wish to see UKGOV fail are effectively wishing the UK to fail.
It is a massive challenge to adapt teaching and the physical space at schools, combined with the nature of children and their varying needs, to get teachers to feel reasonably safe. But good school leaders and dedicated staff will put children first and find a way to get their school open. UKGOV guidelines will be imperfect but UKGOV must demonstrate realism and empathy in helping teachers solve the dilemma. Because no two schools are the same – through varying mix of pupils, physical layout and facilities, money available, neighbourhood and so on – UKGOV will be unable to provide an absolute blueprint for all schools to follow, just as with businesses. It has to be accepted that no school will be risk free – they never are. But reasonable steps and precautions can be taken. Schools can learn from each others’ successes and failures. With imagination and inspiration and unity of purpose, with empathy for individual teachers’ circumstances, and if people look after each other in schools (is that staying alert?), it is incumbent on society to get children back to school. The examples of Denmark and Netherlands are encouraging at this early stage of their returns to school. One survey suggests teachers are more at risk in the staff room than the classroom – and they can control the staffroom! It may be that a different approach, region by region or even local authority by local authority is worthwhile considering. Perhaps not waiting until September is, on balance, worth the risk.
RECALLING REALITY AND BEING A MARINE
The reality, everyone knows, is that all judgements about CV are being made with a lack of real knowledge. The science is part guesswork and work in progress, and so provides few proper answers. An economist recently commented that if you take 100 economists, you will get 100 different answers. And he says, the same is true of epidemiologists. The UK approach to preventing infection, it should be remembered, is only to protect the NHS from being overwhelmed, not because infection is always to be avoided of itself (except for the very vulnerable). All citizens will be taking a chance at some point, and for life to get on track may be doing so for a long time, whether going to work or school or to leisure. Individuals will have to choose, weighing the risk in the balance. But good values may help see the UK through. The commando’s Courage – Determination – Unselfishness – Cheerfulness are a good start.
Think like a Marine, even on your sofa – think can-do?
