Angela Rieck

A Wonderful Gift by Angela Rieck

August 6, 2020 by Angela Rieck 11 Comments

Twelve years ago (it took 7 years to get the approvals, funding and complete the work), the Rotary Club gave St. Michaels its nature trail.

And what a gift it is.

1.3 miles of a winding path on the west side of St. Michaels. I venture on the trail several times a day to walk my dogs or cycle. I am never alone, even at daybreak. Joggers, couples, walkers, cyclists, families, children on bicycles or skateboards and people with dogs quietly enjoy the gift of nature.

Bluebirds are ubiquitous, alighting on the electrical wires across from the barn, searching for insects. An indigo bunting has claimed a territory around the bridge and flaunts his beauty; most mornings he sings a song that sounds like an old, scratchy music box. And, of course, the blue heron motionless, except in the morning when I hear their squawks from the rookery in the tall loblolly pine trees. Ospreys, bald eagles, and buzzards fly overhead. And, of course, the goldfinches, robins, cardinals, blue jays, black birds and sparrows.

The peacefulness of Solitude Creek obscures the turtles, muskrat, and small fish that use it. In the morning, the boat slips are empty, by the late afternoon, the deadrise boats have returned, the gear stowed, the boat readied for another day of crabbing.

All are welcome.

The story of this gift is one of generosity, forward-thinking, persistence, politics, and a tragedy. Here is how it happened. To commemorate the Rotary centennial year, St. Michaels Rotary Club chose to build a nature trail along the abandoned train tracks. The original plan was to create a walkable path by bushwhacking the old railroad trail at an expected cost of $20-30K. The project languished for several years awaiting state approvals, obtaining the land, public concerns, etc. By then, the concept had grown to an 8’ wide paved trail at a cost of $1,000,000.

It would have been impossible, but for the generosity of the Rotary Club, local businesses, and the state of Maryland. Environmental Concern worked tirelessly to design the trail, develop the educational signage, provide funding and support to build the path. The Elm Street Group donated land and money. Delmarva Power and Light donated land. St. Michaels town leadership supported the project through the meetings and education of its citizens. In 2008, the Rotary Club took action to put these pieces together and build the path. 2008 was also an election year and the SHA and State of Maryland provided $500,000 funding.

But there was a problem. Delmarva Power and Light was concerned about the safety of a path built under its wires. They feared that a bridge over Solitude Creek would be used for fishing and fishing lines would get tangled up in their wires, creating a safety hazard. They demanded a covered bridge. There was no funding for a covered bridge. Enter the tragedy. Bill Shook, a top executive at Clark Engineering, was killed in a car accident and his brother, Langley Shook, was determined to use this tragedy to help build this path. Clark Engineering donated the covered bridge, dedicated it to Bill Shook and quietly convinced Delmarva Power and Light to allow the path to be built. It would not have been built without this group coming together under the leadership of the Rotary Club.

So each time that I enjoy this nature trail, I feel gratitude, for the natural world and the world of generous souls who foresaw its importance.

Angela Rieck, a Caroline County native, received her PhD in Mathematical Psychology from the University of Maryland and worked as a scientist at Bell Labs, and other high-tech companies in New Jersey before retiring as a corporate executive. Angela and her dogs divide their time between St Michaels and Key West Florida. Her daughter lives and works in New York City.

Celebrating the Eastern Shore…Summer by Angela Rieck

July 30, 2020 by Angela Rieck 3 Comments

I start to get excited in mid-June. First the wagons appear. Then the signs. Then the awnings. Then finally, they are here.

Produce stands.

I have lived in several places on the East Coast; so, I am hardly an expert. But I have never seen as many produce stands as on the Eastern Shore. The Eastern Shore is a paradise for fresh produce.

Even before the wagons arrive, local supermarkets sell produce from local farms. Local farmers’ markets offer an array of produce, meats, eggs, flowers, and ready-made goods. They also sell a variety of organic vegetables and humanely raised meats. My advice—never, never, never go there hungry.

Local farms allow us to purchase or pick our own produce. Blueberries and strawberries are safe enough for picking; but, for obvious reasons I no longer climb trees for the other fruits. My sister gets me the freshest greens and tomatoes from the local organic farm.

But the produce wagons are my favorite. Maybe their rustic nature reminds me of the farm life that I was born into. Maybe it is the bright colors of the fruits and vegetables lined on the shelves. Maybe it is the young people who help me select the ripest produce. Maybe it is the oppressive heat that reminds me of my childhood. Or maybe it is because they are so convenient.

But they always make me smile.

Every produce stand is awash with color: bright vermillion, multi-colored, yellow and green tomatoes; fuzzy green beans; yellow wax beans; dark green zucchini with white speckles; creamy yellow, funny-shaped squashes; green and white freckled pickling cucumbers; and bright red, and green and yellow colored peppers. And, of course, the sweet corn…yellow, multi-color and white…so fresh and so sweet.

I am especially fond of the fruits come and go with the seasons. In the farmers’ markets, local farms and the supermarkets, I purchase bright red strawberries through early June.

In July, when the wagons come, there are fragrant white and yellow peaches, beautiful yellow fuzzy spheres with bold orange and dark red blushes. Next to the peaches are baskets of bright purple plums and yellow and dark red cherries. A table is stacked with dirt-encrusted cantaloupes whose fragrance wafts through the air. One side of the wagon is dedicated to everyone’s favorite: watermelons of all shades and patterns of green. Their thick rinds hide the crispy, watery, sweet, beautiful red and yellow fruit inside.

I take advantage of every supplier.

Okay, summer on the Eastern Shore isn’t perfect. The weather can be formidable. But it is a small price to pay for the produce bounty of the Eastern Shore.

Now it is time for the other tradition, the kitchen sauna; created by boiling and cutting the corn from the cob; blanching green beans; or making tomato sauce.

This morning I returned from the produce stand. After lugging my heavy shopping bags into my home, something told me that I hadn’t bought enough.

Time to go back.

The Value of Differences by Angela Rieck

July 23, 2020 by Angela Rieck

A friend sent me an email this week which showed pictures of the leaders of countries that have handled the COVID 19 crisis well (Germany, Taiwan, New Zealand, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Finland) and the leaders of those countries that have handled it poorly (US, Italy, Russia, Brazil, Spain, UK, France).

The leaders of those countries who have successfully managed the COVID 19 pandemic were all women.

This caused me to reminisce on my own career.

When I began my career as a scientist at Bell Labs in the 1980’s it was a tough climate for women. Many people (both men and women) expected us to fail; the prevailing belief was that women were too emotional, too stupid, too fragile, too silly to work in a company. As a pioneer, especially a single one, I knew that I was going to have to take some abuse. The concept of sexual harassment hadn’t been accepted when I appeared in the workplace. So I had to attend lunches at establishments where waitresses were scantily clad; or worse, after dinner “meetings” at strip clubs; and if I didn’t come…well that was proof that women didn’t belong in the workplace. I had to call the wives of the scientists I was traveling with to let them know that I wasn’t interested in having sex with their husbands, lest I be forbidden from traveling due to a spouse’s objection. I worked in offices and conference rooms adorned with calendars and photos of nude women. It wasn’t a glass ceiling; it was a concrete one and, in the beginning, the women who got promoted either emulated men or were having sex with them.

Many younger men came to my aid; but most older men did what they could to make my job difficult. I have dozens of stories. But to give you a simple example, one day, I got pulled out of my meeting by the secretary to let me know that my father had been in a terrible accident and doctors were not sure that he would survive. I returned to my meeting with red eyes, it was obvious that I had been crying, my demeanor was immediately reported to the senior leadership. Several weeks later I was reprimanded for being too emotional and was required to complete a training course in how a leader should behave. Silly, of course, but for women to be viewed as equals, we had to suppress who we were and emulate men.

A lot has changed in the almost 40 years since I began my career. Sexual harassment has banned most bad behavior. Equally important, women demonstrated that they were good enough to compete in a man’s world. We had the intelligence, dedication, interest, ambition, and commitment to succeed. One of the executives from Bell Labs told me that he preferred women to men; as he said: “A woman wants to get the job done, she will do whatever it takes; a man is more interested in his career and what his reward will be.” Of course, this is also a prescription to be taken advantage of; but baby steps.

Since women have proved that they can excel; we can now be women employees, not employees who happen to be female. We can be comfortable with our differences and can take advantage of our interpersonal skills, nurturing skills, empathetic and empathic capabilities. Women are more willing to work as a team; and less likely to require credit.

This is not to say that women are always better leaders; my best and worst bosses were women. But our perspective is an asset; not a detriment as was previously believed. The world is a better place when gender and cultural differences are appreciated. More perspectives and opinions ALWAYS result in a better solution.

So, let’s learn from the women leaders about this COVID 19 crisis. Why did they make the decisions they made? What were their considerations? What was their perspective? What can we learn from them?

It makes me wonder what would have happened in this country had we had a woman leader during this pandemic.

The Power of Patience by Angela Rieck

July 16, 2020 by Angela Rieck

I believe that we are put on this earth to learn and to grow. I have a number of lessons to learn. But without a disappointing list of these deficiencies, there is one that many of us share.

Patience.

I struggle with patience, almost daily. I have made progress, but my friends and family will tell you that I have a lot of work to do…sigh.

It is clear from the recent surge of cases in the COVID 19 pandemic, that our nation collectively also has a patience problem.

Let’s start with the illogical reopening plan. We knew from the pandemic in Florida, that unlike many flu viruses, heat does not kill this virus. So, we knew that the summer temperatures would provide no respite. We also knew that despite the highly contagious nature of this virus, we were not going to develop a herd immunity. Experts estimate that a herd immunity requires anywhere from 60-95% of the population to have had the virus. In the US we have no more than 1% of the population. Even Sweden, which opted for a herd immunity strategy, “gave up” and only reached around 8%.

So we knew that there was nothing, except fewer cases, and conscientious behavior, that was going to stop the spread of the virus…but we opened up anyway. Why did we reopen? Because of the devastating impact of this virus on the economy and, frankly, we were impatient.

With the exception of natural disasters, we have been able to control or contain many aspects of our environment. Controlling the environment appears to be a very human thing. Our earliest ancestors used prayer and supplications; animal and human sacrifices; dances and ceremonies in an attempt to control the environment. In our modern society we rely on science and medicine. But this pandemic moved too quickly, and we started too late.

But not all the news is bad. Scientists and doctors have been working tirelessly to solve this problem.

They have discovered several medicines (two of them old) that collectively have reduced the death rate by one third. Trials with a cancer drug to reduce the impact of cytokine storms (if you recall that is when the immune system floods the body with immune cells that attack the body) are promising. To date, scientists have discovered that the expected mutations of the virus have not resulted in more deadly versions (as happened in the 1917-1918 flu epidemic).

In the meantime, we as a nation must exercise our collective patience. We must continue to wear those annoying masks, we must suffer from dry hands from over washing and sterilizing, we must keep social distances. In short, we must continue to do what we have done since the pandemic began. And we must continue to do this until science comes to the rescue with a vaccine.

There is that damn patience problem again.

Put Me In Coach….by Angela Rieck

July 2, 2020 by Angela Rieck

Recently I wrote a column about the steps that we need to take to make real change in the criminal justice system, starting with the front lines, the police. One of the key components of change is effective, nonjudgmental coaching.

Constance Morris Hope is helping me understand how coaching can be an effective tool. She is a seasoned executive coach specializing in coaching in multi-racial and multi-cultural environments. With over 35 years of experience in 26 US government agencies, 39 countries, non-profit organizations, and academia, she has seen how coaching can impact real change in complex and diverse situations.

Since the police officer’s job is one of the most complex and stressful jobs in the public sector, I wanted to find out from an expert what is needed to help us move toward a more racially empathetic environment.

Question: You indicated that it is critical that the police and justice system want to change. How do you know if there is real commitment to change?

Leadership creates culture, so assessing leadership’s readiness to change and the level of trust between leadership and rank and file is the first place to start. Other key elements are a sense of urgency and the formal and informal communication systems. Change starts at the top, but it will not happen unless all are involved.

Question: What should we know about coaching that will help us understand its value in making change?

Coaching is not something that is “done” to you, nor does a coach show her client how ‘to do’ something. Our mantra is that our clients are naturally creative, resourceful, and whole. Coaching is a collaborative process where the client sets the direction and agenda and the coach asks questions assist him in. Greater self-awareness is the key!

Question: Which is more important, coaching officers or police leadership?

I think both are important, but it might be important to start with leadership, since leaders model the culture and set the standards. In a 2017 study published in Police Chief, 46% of subscribers felt that leadership was the most important factor in establishing change.

Question: What plan or strategy would you use to coach police officers and their leaders if you had the opportunity?

I would first assess their readiness for change. Next, I would ask them to define what success looks like. What measures would we use? What needs to happen? Who needs to be involved?

Most importantly, I would build their Emotional Intelligence (EI).

Emotional Intelligence is awareness of your own emotions and those of others; and using that information to build relationships and change your behavior. Self-awareness and empathy are the keys to improving Emotional Intelligence.

Emotions are central to everything that we do, every relationship that we have. They guide and direct our thinking, but they can also ‘hijack’ our reasoning and logic, leading us to make poor decisions and take actions that we might regret later.

High Emotional Intelligence helps officers to:

Recognize triggers, including their unconscious biases, and immediately apply reasoning skills to make good decisions.
Understand, manage, and control their emotions at the same time, recognizing the emotions of others. This keeps them from overreacting in challenging situations.
Develop conflict management skills which focus on resolving rather than escalating.
Manage their impulses by controlling their emotions instead of allowing their emotions to control them.
Cope with emotional/confrontational citizens.
Be more effective and efficient with crowd-control or policing civil protests and demonstrations, arresting people, interrogating suspects, and interviewing witnesses and complainants.

Question: You explained that the Amygdala autonomic response can be especially problematic in police jobs. The Amygdala recognizes dangerous situations and reacts automatically. Can you elaborate how coaching can help “short circuit” the Amygdala and allow the rational brain to take over?

The Amygdala is the most ancient part of the brain and forms a part of the limbic system where our emotions live. This alarm system was crucial for our ancestors who needed it to recognize life-threatening situations. The Amygdala still performs that function; however, today’s threats are less deadly. The person who cuts us off in traffic, or who interrupts us, or who must be right, or is argumentative, all those can trigger an Amygdala response.

The Amygdala can also respond when we perceive threat in the face of DIFFERENCE. Our Amydala causes us to experience an emotional reaction before we have a logical response. If we let the Amygdala be in control it will take over the logical brain. This is called an AMYGDALA HIJACK and can result in a disproportionate reaction to a situation. Unconscious biases can trigger an AMYGDALA HIJACK. Training and coaching can help officers recognize and identify situations or people that might trigger an AMYGDALA HIJACK and help them develop strategies to allow the logical part of their brain to engage.

Question: If you had a magic wand, what would be the first thing that you would ask for regarding the police and justice for the African-American?

I would like to see ‘policing’ re-branded to be seen and experienced by diverse communities/populations as a force for good. Police officers would be perceived as protectors of their well-being, as allies. I would like to see public confidence restored in communities where it once was and created where it never was. For that to happen, those responsible for policing and law enforcement will have to have greater emotional intelligence. They would have to change their attitudes, motivations, behaviors, perspectives, and understandings to be more attuned to the communities they serve. Building better relationships with and within diverse communities would go a long way to re-branding.

Question: Do you think that racism in the justice system is everywhere?

I think there is entrenched inequality that goes beyond the criminal justice system that amplifies the broader questions of lingering racial inequities in the United States. We have systems and institutions that produce racially disparate outcomes.

This does not mean that the people who work in them are racist. They are enforcing the rules and regulations that perpetuate these inequities. They are doing their job. The question that they and we must ask ourselves is what can we personally do about the situation?

Question: Do you have any final thoughts?

My experience is that coaching one person at a time can create significant change that can ripple through the organization. It may require patience, but it creates lasting change.

Change doesn’t happen overnight. We can take all the courses that we want and get all the coaching that is offered, but if we don’t put into practice what we learn or if leadership doesn’t support it, change won’t happen. We need to understand that a lot of this is biology-based. We need to rewire our brains, rewire our neurological pathways, develop new habits, new autopilot responses, new ways of seeing the world. And that requires intention and practice, practice, and more practice!

Note: Constance Hope lives in St Michaels and is a local advocate for racial understanding. She can be reached carapacecoaching@aol.com

It is Time…The Talbot Boys Statue by Angela Rieck

June 25, 2020 by Angela Rieck

Pete Lesher recently proposed removing the Confederate Talbot Boys statue from the Talbot County Courthouse. It is clear from the many letters to the editor, that public opinion supports this proposal.

In 2015, I was frustrated when council members refused to honor the NAACP’s request to remove it.

But I understand why.

I learned this lesson at the workplace. In many meetings, I would propose a solution, only to be ignored, until the end of the meeting, when someone (usually a man) would make the same proposal and the group would applaud him for his solution. I would return from these meetings, steaming, until a team member explained that I wasn’t being ignored, it was just that people needed to go through their process before they were ready to hear the solution.

Floyd’s murder and the “Black Lives Matter” protests have awakened a sleeping majority. I think that most Americans have “gone through their process” and now see the injustice that this statue represents. While it doesn’t fix our problems, its absence will be a powerful symbol of our willingness to address racism.

Some who wish to keep this statue argue that we need to respect history. Yes, these soldiers died for a lost cause, but so did our Vietnam soldiers. What makes this lost cause more special? In fact, it is more unsavory.

The history of the Eastern Shore is a shameful history of slavery. Our soil contains the blood, sweat and tears of enslaved people. The battles to free them did not happen on our soil. But individual bravery to right this wrong did.

Our history boasts of heroes who fought this injustice. Slaves used our rivers and marshland in a desperate and deadly escape to freedom. There were also the Quakers of Third Haven and Freemen and Freewomen at “The Hill” who risked everything to assist them. The risks were significant. Freemen and women who were caught would be enslaved and transported to their deaths in the deep south. Quakers would lose their farms, their freedom and their lives. There is more history, carefully chronicled by our historians. These redemptive stories help to cleanse our soil of the remnants of our dark past.

For those who are pragmatic, it also is an opportunity to increase tourism. Many people are interested in the stories of slaves who escaped, Frederick Douglass and others who sacrificed to end injustice.

Slavery was a deeply troubling institution. Let’s memorialize those risked their lives to end it, rather than those who died trying to preserve it.

A Moment of Humor by Angela Rieck

June 18, 2020 by Angela Rieck

Satirists are having a field day with our political situation; it is better to laugh than cry. Fortunately, political wit and humor have been with us as long as there have been politicians.

Winston Churchill’s wit is legendary and oft quoted. Recently, I stumbled across a forgotten wit from Congress. Thomas Brackett Reed of Maine was elected to the House of Representatives 12 times and was the Speaker for 8 years until he resigned in 1899 to protest the Spanish-American War. He was a principled man, a strong supporter of civil rights and widely regarded as honest man who did not tolerate fools.

A Republican (when Republicans were the liberal party), he believed in protective tariffs, federally protected voting rights for African Americans and a strong navy. He opposed capital punishment, federal subsidies for railroads, supported women’s suffrage and had a dim view of organized religion. His overbearing personality and great intellect earned him the nickname Czar Reed.

Congress was as broken back then as it is perceived to be now. At the time, the House Democrats (the minority conservative party) wanted to make sure that there was no legislation, no change. Their strategy was to attend sessions but refuse to say “present” at role call; meaning there was no quorum, and no business could be done. In 1890, Reed formulated the “Reed Rules” of parliamentary procedure which eliminated this behavior, facilitated the passage of legislation, and increased the influence of the Speaker of the House.

In the process, he bestowed withering wit on his foes and friends alike. Here is a sample:

He referred to the Senate as “a place where good Representatives went when they died”; and the House as “a gelatinous existence, the scorn of all vertebrate animals.”

Reed coined the classic definition of a statesman, “a successful politician who is dead.”

Of Representatives who quoted religion, he observed: “One, with God, is always a majority, but many a martyr has been burned at the stake while the votes were being counted.”

When another Congressman said that he would rather be right than be President (quoting Henry Clay), Reed replied “The gentleman need not be disturbed, he never will be either.”

When another member, notorious for uneducated opinions, began some remarks with, “I was thinking, Mr. Speaker, I was thinking…,” Reed expressed the hope that “no one will interrupt the gentleman’s commendable innovation.”

Once referring to two of his House colleagues, he said, “They never open their mouths without subtracting from the sum of human knowledge.”

When asked to attend the funeral of a long-time political adversary, he declined, but stated, “that does not mean to say I do not heartily approve of it.”

He was especially dismissive of the conservative Democratic party.

“The best system is to have one party govern and the other party watch, and on general principles I think it best for us to govern and the Democrats watch.”

“We live in a world of sin and sorrow. Otherwise there would be no Democratic Party.”

He was also critical of his own party. When asked if his party might nominate him for President, he noted, “They could do worse, and they probably will.” He described his rival, McKinley, as having “the backbone of a chocolate éclair”.

Here are some more:

Reed was a large, corpulent man with a bland appearance, and when he saw his official portrait he exclaimed. “Well, my enemies have gotten their revenge.”

“What I most admire about you, Theodore,” Reed said of Teddy Roosevelt, “is your original discovery of the Ten Commandments.”

“Copernicus did not publish his book until he was on his deathbed. He knew how dangerous it is to be right when the rest of the world is wrong.”

At a dinner party, a famous raconteur, Senator Choate, remarked that he had never made a bet on a horse or card or anything else in his life. “I wish I could say that,” another guest said earnestly. “Why can’t you?” Reed replied, “Choate did.”

And a more modern one, just because it is so funny:

“In a recent fire, Bob Dole’s library burned down. Both books were lost. And he hadn’t even finished coloring one of them.” —Jack Kemp

I thought we all needed a laugh.

How to Create Lasting Change… by Angela Rieck

June 11, 2020 by Angela Rieck

It is hard to imagine anyone not being outraged by the murder of George Floyd and the racism in the justice system. But it has given us something that we have never had before…a national consensus that this must change.

We are angry. We want punishment. We want convictions for all the officers involved. Somewant police forces defunded and the money allocated to programs that help marginalized citizens. Minneapolis is going as far as disbanding their police force…they view it as unfixable. Many Americans share that belief.

Punishment feels good, it feels right, it fixes nothing.

Why? Because we are missing the fundamentals: feedback, measurement, coaching, accountability. Without these, training courses are just good courses, or boxes checked. I have worked in training all my career, and I have personally developed great training courses, which resulted in no lasting change. Without follow up, coaching, measurement and accountability, it was just a good course.

We know what needs to be done to effect lasting change. Here is the recipe:

1. Willingness to Change. Every person responsible for policing our society must be willing to change. Without that, there will be no change. This includes the “Yes, but…” comments.” We used to say “everything before the but is bull***t.”

2. Listen to the Experts. Obama formed a commission from all sides of the debate that produced 30 pages of recommendations. Yet, few if any, of these recommendations have been adopted. We need to implement them now.

3. Training. This is what people point to the most, yet it is the least effective mechanism for change. It is fun creating new programs, it is exhilarating…it is ineffective.

4. Measurement and Coaching. Police officers have a very difficult and complicated job. In jobs such as these (like teaching), the only way to get systemic change is through measurement and coaching. Let me repeat myself. The only way to get systemic change is from measurement and coaching.

Athletes know this, they can’t improve with only a training course or a new program. They need feedback and coaching.

People incorrectly assume that coaching is a negative experience, but at the hands of a skilled coach it is transformational. Let me give you an example how it can work with the police. Body cams can help coaches and officers get a better understanding of the behavior and its impact on citizens. A good coach will review body cam footage and identify opportunities for praise and improvement. Then the coach plays the video with the officer and they talk about what it. With guidance, the officer creates his or her own improvement plan and the next session, that plan and his or her behaviors are reviewed again. A good coaching session empowers the participant.

Without measurement, how do you know if you are improving? To develop measures, you need to ask a simple question:

What does success look like? From the community’s perspective, from the department’s perspective, from a crime perspective, from a budgetary perspective and from the officer’s perspective. Once you have the answer to that question, measurements naturally derive from it. Like school report cards, it is not a single measurement, it is a comprehensive assessment (e.g., crime, community response, cost). The mistake that most people make is to select the “easiest” measures; this results in the wrong behaviors. As we say in the industry: What gets inspected, gets respected.

If you choose measures like number of arrests, you will more arrests. If you choose measures like number of traffic stops, you more traffic stops. If you choose measures like community support, you will get community support.

5. Community Feedback. What is considered community feedback is usually a public meeting that allows citizens to vent but provides no mechanism for changing. Community feedback can take many forms, anonymous questionnaires, one on one feedback with community leaders, individual (professionally coached) sessions with those who feel that they have been unfairly treated.

Did you know that effective feedback must begin with the assumption of “positive intent?” Think about it. How much more effective is feedback if you assume that the aggressor meant well?

6. Accountability. Sadly, that is what I did not hear from leadership. Without accountability, George Floyd and others like him die. It is that simple. If someone is resistant to coaching and displays aggressive behavior, his employment must be terminated. It happens to people in corporations, why doesn’t it happen in the public sector? Police departments need to make it easy to report inappropriate behavior. Without it, there will be no systemic change.

I’ll leave it to the experts to tell us how to do this

Probably nothing has empowered the Black Lives Matter movement more than our President’s response to it. All Americans now understand what it is like to be criminalized. Our President’s unnecessary use of force helps us white folk empathize with the indignities that Black Americans have suffered. The clearing of peaceful protesters for a photo opp. A plethora of heavily armed guards on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. These images say it all.

Let’s get mad and then let’s make Black Lives Matter.

What’s Next…Living in a World with COVID -19 by Angela Rieck

June 3, 2020 by Angela Rieck

I have been thinking about how we will live in this new world…a world where a deadly disease is lurking. So I did what I usually do, I started researching it. I wanted to learn about our immune system in an effort to understand my risk with COVID-19.

We live with risk. We drive cars, we take medicines, we eat certain foods, we drink. Over time these risks have become integrated into our world and we recognize that they exist, but for most of us they do not rule our worlds. Since a vaccine for COVID 19 is probably years away, we will have to add this virus to our risk list.

So the question that I researched: what precisely is this risk? More about this later, first a trip down “immunity lane.”

Caveat: I have no scientific knowledge, I have been using Internet sources at NIH, CDC, Yale, Cornell, Scientific Journals and University websites for my information. Since I don’t have the background, I could be easily misguided. Also, I am a big, big believer in NOT using jargon or complex scientific language so I may oversimplify when I describe everything in layman’s terms.

I have come to the conclusion that Immunology is Rocket Science. Our immune system is unbelievably complex and variable. We have only scratched the surface of our immune system, fantastic discoveries await.

Our immune system is filled with redundancies, complex communications, pathogen consumers, janitors, killing machines, construction crew, “generals” and soldiers…all working through our tissue, white blood cells and the limbic system. To describe what I have learned would take volumes. Suffice to say that there are hundreds of different cells (not including the millions of B cells with antibodies) and configurations. So here is a VERY simple overview of the most relevant pieces of our immune system as it relates to COVID 19.

Immunologists categorize immune cells as either Innate or Adaptive. Innate immune cells are the first to rush to an infection, they are “generalists” whose goals is to find any foreign cell and destroy it. They emerge from our tissue and the bloodstream. The second type are the Adaptive Cells, which arrive days later. The most well-known are the T Cells and B cells, which are configured to destroy the actual villain or pathogen. (Of course, it is not that simple, some cells are both Innate and Adaptive and our Adaptive cells also perform innate functions at the beginning of an infection…I told you this was complicated.) There are a bunch of other types of proteins and enzymes, especially communication enzymes and proteins that notify our immune system that we have an invader and provide feedback about what is happening at the “site.”

So what happens with a rhinovirus (the common cold)? Since viruses are small, they replicate by taking over our cells. A rhinovirus starts invading our cells in the nose. Our innate defenses rush to the site and start battling the pathogen: they kill, they clean dead cells, they rebuild and some consume a portion of the antigen and take it back to the T cells through limbic system. The Adaptive cells use that specific information to create T and B cells specially targeted for that pathogen. To add to the complexity, B cells as well as dying and invaded cells may send signals to the immune system using cytokines (this is important). Some communication is sent to the brain and other organs to help us to fight off the invader. Then the Adaptive cells start heading to the battle. From the beginning of the infection, T cell “generals” direct the invasion. Based on the antigen data received, B cells with the specific antibody proteins start duplicating (antibodies are actually B cells with a certain protein configuration on their surface) and head to the site (a significant oversimplification, of course). T cells serve as both generals and soldiers, some attacking the cells while others coordinate the immune attack. The B cells and T cells now make a targeted attack on the specific antigen. They “remember” this attack and store B cells (which contain the antibodies) to defend against future invaders.

Back to our rhinovirus. During this battle, our nose swells and the cells become more porous to allow the immune cells to attack (hence the stuffy and runny nose). That’s right, the immune response is the cause of the unpleasant symptoms (this is important for understanding COVID 19) including fever. After the virus is eliminated, the repair crew generates new cells and gets us back to speed (another oversimplification).

Impressive, huh? And this is only a tiny fraction of what actually happens. But there is a problem. First, the immune system must distinguish between our good cells and “infected” cells, which it does using mostly Toll receptors. (Auto-immune diseases occur when the immune system attack our “good” cells.) Second, the immune system must also “stand down,” or “commit suicide” when the attack is completed.

Back to COVID-19; the first problem is that there are no B cells with the antibody proteins for a SARS virus. When the T cells and B cells are shown the antigen, the B cells must develop the antibody protein that will kill the COVID 19 antigen (takes about 7 days). For many healthy people, the Innate cells stave off the virus before it gets to the lungs until the B cells with targeted antibodies arrive.

For those who experience mild symptoms, scientists believe is likely that their immune system is attacking it effectively before it moves to the lungs.

But, even when it moves to the lungs, our immune cells can keep fighting it effectively. For most of us, the system functions as it should and after the new antibodies have been developed, we are “cured.” We now have antibodies to ward off a future attack.

But in severe cases, most scientists believe that a cytokine storm is created. A cytokine storm occurs when the immune system gets an overwhelming signal and rushes to the site, furiously attacking all cells, even the “good cells”. Fluid from the battle builds up and causes pneumonia. The immune system now becomes the attacker.

Scientists are searching for medications to prevent the storm or stop it once it starts. At Yale, scientists are searching for a bio marker to identify individuals who would be susceptible to these storms.

How bad are cytokine storms? Very bad. They cause sepsis. It is believed that most of the 1918 flu deaths were from these storms.

But messing with the immune system can be dangerous. In 2006, six healthy young men experienced a cytokine storm within 90 minutes of being injected with an experimental immune suppressant drug; five died.

So, back to risk, we need to be able to adequately assess our risk, what are the chances that we will get a cytokine storm from the COVID-19 virus?

Now we are back in my wheelhouse.

CDC guidelines and other guidelines are designed to prevent infection. Obviously, that is most important. But we also need to know our risk of hospitalization and death if we get infected.

Let me repeat, most people do not develop a severe reaction from this virus. But for those who do, it can be deadly. So, the risk question is, “what is the likelihood that if I get a COVID-19 infection that it will become deadly?”

Cornell identified the following risk factors: age, gender (more men die than women), underlying health conditions (kidneys, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, asthma, or COPD), immune suppression medications (including cancer treatments), race (but this may have more to do with access to health care than genetics), smoking (duh!) and viral dose (amount of exposure). In addition, stress has been found to be a significant immune suppressant.

Given the number of people infected, hospitalized and deceased from COVID 19, there is enough data to build a model that will allow us to assess our individual risk assessment for COVID 19. We need to know our individual actual risk, especially if we have comorbidities. (A comorbidity is the simultaneous presence of two chronic conditions, e.g., age & diabetes.)

Epidemiologists need to create a model from which they can create a “risk assessment app” to give us a risk factor. For example, I have asthma and I am over 65, so I have 2 comorbidities. A risk assessment app would allow me to enter my risk factors including chronic conditions, relevant medications, treatments, number of “colds or flus” per year, and psychological factors. The result would be the probability of getting the deadly reaction if I become infected with the COVID 19 virus.

This is especially helpful for people who are healthy but have underlying illnesses. For example, diabetes is recognized as a risk, but diabetics frequently present other comorbidities (e.g., obesity, poor circulation). What is the risk for someone who has diabetes, but keeps her A1C down, exercises and maintains a healthy weight?

The work that is being done for treatments and vaccines is most important, obviously. But in the interim, we need to live and work in a COVID-19 world.

To do so, we need: (a) a reliable antibody test to allow us to know if we have immunity and (b) an individual risk assessment.

Until then, we are walking in this new world without a map.

Leadership in a Crisis by Angela Rieck

May 28, 2020 by Angela Rieck

I recently re-read Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book Leadership in Turbulent Times. She profiled four Presidents who successfully led America through a crisis: Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson (Civil Rights).

Lincoln chose his rivals for his cabinet because he felt that the country needed its strongest leaders during this crisis. When formulating the Emancipation Proclamation, he spoke with politicians and experts from all sides of the political debate. He spent time with soldiers, learning their thoughts on a war that impacted them the most. While the public wasn’t yet ready for emancipation, he believed that he could convince them. He listened to all positions and opinions for when and how to deliver his message. His thoughtful analysis worked, by the time he delivered the Proclamation, it was generally accepted despite its radical position.

For Theodore Roosevelt, it was the coal strike of 1902. The miners struck in the spring of 1902 and the owners were content to allow the strike to continue. As fall approached with no movement, Roosevelt recognized that many Americans, now dependent almost exclusively on coal for heat, would freeze to death. He knew that he had to find a solution. He commissioned an expert to study the issue and worked with all parties to reach a solution in time for winter.

For Franklin Roosevelt, it was the first 100 days of his presidency. After he was elected, he immediately closed the banks to prevent their collapse. He worked with experts from all sides, convened an emergency session of Congress and passed legislation to preserve the banks. Despite his opposition, he allowed Congress to add an amendment to create the FDIC. (He later acknowledged that this amendment was one of the best parts of the legislation.) Then he convened his first “fireside chat” where he explained to the American public in simple terms what had happened, what would happen and what he needed from them. The first day the banks reopened, there were lines of people, not to withdraw, but to deposit their money.

For Lyndon, it was passage of the Civil Rights bill and crucial provisions of the Great Society (e.g., Medicare). After Kennedy’s assassination, Johnson recognized that the country needed to address civil rights. He manipulated, bullied and cajoled Congress to pass the first significant civil rights legislation.

These were quite different leaders. Lincoln was reflective. Teddy Roosevelt was a man of action. Franklin Roosevelt was charismatic, and Johnson was a master of working with Congress. While they approached the issue from their own strengths, they all used the following blueprint:

Become an Expert. They solicited experts and listened to every viewpoint, including the American people. (Lincoln met with soldiers, Teddy met with the miners, Franklin used Eleanor as his “eyes and ears.” Lyndon had firsthand experience.) By the time they acted, each had a thorough understanding of the crisis from all perspectives.

Accept Moral Responsibility. These leaders felt they had a moral imperative to solve the crisis. Unconcerned with popularity or approval, they recognized that they had to lead America through its crisis. Nowhere was this more evident than the Emancipation Proclamation.

Empathize. Each leader empathized with the American people; especially the poor and the dispossessed. Johnson never forgot the devastating poverty that he confronted when he was a school principal in a poor, immigrant district in Texas.

Treat Adversaries with Respect. Teddy Roosevelt had to deal with coal owners who were arrogant, dismissive, and disrespectful to everyone, including the President of the United States. Time and again, they refused to negotiate and remained unconcerned about the fate of Americans as winter approached. Nevertheless, Roosevelt refused to give up and kept trying to find a way to work with them, despite their refusal to allow the union to come to the bargaining table.

Use a Strong Team. Lincoln utilized his adversaries, Lyndon cultivated Congressional leaders. Lincoln was not afraid of strong leaders (who often disagreed with them) to help implement the solution. Franklin Roosevelt cultivated dedicated experts, who sometimes disagreed, but worked tirelessly to implement novel solutions.

Communicate Effectively. No one did this better than Franklin Roosevelt, who was able to lead and educate the nation with his fireside chats. He made the issues and his initiatives understandable without talking down to his audience.

Recognize Mistakes and Pivot Quickly. Teddy Roosevelt wanted to impose a solution, but his Attorney General advised him that it was unconstitutional; so, Teddy Roosevelt had to craft a different solution. Several of Franklin Roosevelt’s initiatives were not successful. Both quickly took responsibility and changed tactics.

Do Not Take It Personally. Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt especially were able to seek advice and counsel from people who disagreed with them. In Lincoln’s case, one of his cabinet members had publicly humiliated him. Yet, they were never vindictive, recognizing that the solving the crisis was more important than their egos.

Keep your Word. While each allowed debate, once they made their decision, they kept their promise. Lyndon Johnson promised civil rights leaders that he would deliver legislation and refused to give up, despite a prolonged, and heretofore unbroken, Senate filibuster.

Share Credit. Each President took responsibility for mistakes, but shared credit for successes. Even Lyndon Johnson, who was known for having a huge ego, shared credit for the Civil Rights legislation with Congress.

We can use this scorecard to judge our current leadership in the COVID 19 crisis. But we can also use it as a blueprint for leadership in a crisis. Especially since this one isn’t over yet.

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