Central Florida 100: What have you learned during the pandemic?

This week's question for our panel of 100 influential leaders: What is one habit or skill you have developed during the past year?

Lee Constantine, commissioner, Seminole County

NO LONGER A TECH NEWBIE: For years, I have used the phrase “technologically challenged” to describe my ineptitude with computers. The mere thought of having to navigate the matrix caused my blood to boil. The pandemic changed all that. No, I’m not an expert or even proficient in browsing cyberspace but I did get out from under myself. Throughout this past year, I’ve been on a huge learning curve. Multiple virtual meeting platforms and agenda/voting software have made it possible to participate in conferences, conduct public business and even run my reelection campaign from home. I don’t admit I enjoy it, but it has changed my life for the better.

Earl Crittenden Jr., chair, OnePulse Foundation

A LITTLE PATIENCE: Learning new skills and habits during the COVID lockdown was virtually unavoidable. Many probably experienced similar challenges, like a crash course in the art of forbearance and accepting various degrees of solitude. My journey included honing patience. Patience in the ability to accept that large swaths of the U.S. were fighting science and scientists in a once-in-a-century global pandemic; and, patience in accepting that federal COVID-19 leadership and remedies were abdicated to the 50 governors. As the vaccination cavalry comes and economies open, the collective anxiety diminishes. My newfound patience is now a prized possession.

Mary Lee Downey, CEO, Hope Partnership

TIME MANAGEMENT: This pandemic completely upended my routine, if I can call it that. I had really been running on reserve energy for a long time, juggling the demands of leading my team, serving a congregation, and being present for my family. Having this hard reset gave me the chance to really consider how I was spending my time. I’ve worked this year to take back control of my time by focusing on the tasks that only I can do and trusting others to take care of the things that they can do.

Francisco Gonzalez, philanthropy director, National Review Institute

MORNING WALKS: While I have always been into exercise and have been a remote worker for many years, one of the main habits I have developed over the past year is a morning walk. When COVID-19 shut down travel and kept us at home more, I realized I needed to start my day by getting out of the house, getting some fresh air and sunshine. As a side benefit: Vitamin D also helps keep viruses away. But it was my mental health I was more concerned with. Most mornings I also listen to a podcast or audio book during my walk.

Jeff Hayward, president and CEO, Heart of Florida United Way

REMOTE LEADERSHIP: Whereas we had no "work from home policy," I have learned to maintain a cohesive, high-performing team that stays connected in spite of our office being closed for a full year.

Viviana Janer, vice chairwoman, Osceola County Commission

VIRTUAL COMMUNICATIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic has made traditional face-to-face meetings and social interactions impractical or impossible. As a result most people, including myself, have developed excellent Zoom meeting video conferencing skills. Zoom and other platforms are the future for many, many meetings. These virtual platforms allow for more citizen participation. You no longer must come to a government office to listen to policy being made -- and you can even provide input into the process. The county has had great success with recent meetings on major transportation projects. The technology is only going to get better -- with a focus on simplicity, intuitiveness, and reliability.

David Kay, rabbi, Congregation Ohev Shalom

PERSONAL SPACE: Ancient Jewish texts teach that each of us has a "personal space" of four cubits. A cubit is about 18 inches, which means four cubits would be...six feet. What was once an arcane technicality of traditional Jewish law took on very real and relevant dimensions a year ago. After years of shuffling through crowds at concerts, the theater, and especially theme parks, developing awareness of the significance of the four-cubit concept became a priority. What started as a safety habit, though, has developed into something deeper: considering the needs and comfort level of each person we encounter.

Belinda Ortiz Kirkegard, Kissimmee economic development director

LISTENING THROUGH MASKS: I interact with so many international people that speak with various dialects and accents, I unconsciously read lips during conversations. In this mask-wearing world, I’ve had to sharpen my interpersonal listening skills. I've been so successful that my husband claims I’ve developed canine hearing!

Ken LaRoe, Founder, Climate First Bank I/O

SILVER LININGS: Thanks to the pandemic, I’ve learned digital things that I thought I would never be able to learn. I’ve also seen enough viral Zoom fails to know I should always be careful about what goes on behind me during a meeting. But, more importantly, this year I’ve come to appreciate that there truly is a silver lining to every dark cloud.

David Leavitt, former Seminole County Libertarian Party chairman, CEO of Refresh Computers

THE SIDE OF FREEDOM: This past year I have learned that there are tyrants and there are other people on the side of freedom and liberty. If you look at history, the good guys are always on the side of freedom, just like when William Wallace screamed the word “FREEDOM!” as his last spoken word. The tyrants are those like Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, who uses his political podium to spread tyranny over freedom in the false ideology called “public safety.” Mayor Demings also seems to be in a conspicuous demonstration of superiority, as he clumsily attempts to one-up the governor of our great state.

Jeremy Levitt, distinguished professor of international law, Florida A&M University College of Law

CELEBRATING BLACK WOMEN: This year I changed the way I celebrate Women’s History Month. Has it every occurred to you that Black History Month does not end on Feb. 28, but continues throughout March? Women’s History Month aims to celebrate the innumerable contributions of women in America and beyond. However, we rarely see Black women prominently featured in March even though they comprise 52% of the Black population (about 23 million people) and 13% of the nation’s female population. Shouldn’t their pioneering contributions to America and the world be as prominently featured as other women during Women’s History Month? I do.

A.J. Marsden, assistant professor, Beacon College

FIND THE POSITIVES: It is easy to reflect upon this past year and only focus on the negativity that COVID-19 has brought to our lives. But we mustn’t forget the positives. Over the past year, I started an herb garden, baked my way through cookbooks, and started learning Dutch. I returned to hobbies in which I hadn’t indulged for years, such as painting and video gaming. I started to pay even more attention to social justice. I marched for equality and I voted in a historic election. The negatives are there, but so are the positives — if we know where to look for them.

Khalid Muneer, broker/owner Jupiter Properties Central Florida

BUILDING REMOTE LINKS: I have found new groups which are meeting remotely to expand my business and social circles. As a result, I had to learn to be on Zoom for long hours and be very patient, as lengthy periods on these calls can be a mental torture. So being very patient is the main skill I have developed during the past year that COVID-19 made us go into isolation.

Muhammad Musri, president, Islamic Society of Central Florida

ONLINE WORSHIP: When the COVID-19 pandemic closures were ordered, all mosques were closed at the very time people needed spiritual care and guidance. Faith communities were fortunate that technology was available to maintain community cohesion via virtual gatherings. Technology proved vital during a scary time where people were losing their loved ones to an invisible virus. What became clear to faith leaders that utilizing online meetings for worship was all along necessary to members of their congregations who are elderly, sick, traveling or living far away. What could have taken decades to transform religious institutions, the pandemic did in one year.

Pamela Nabors, president/CEO, CareerSource Central Florida

EATING IN: Prior to the pandemic, my husband Paul and I went out to eat dinner far too often. COVID-19 lockdown quickly stopped our dining out, but we found Uber Eats and DoorDash meal delivery services very expensive. So, over the last 12 months, I have really improved my dinner planning and cooking skills. We now find we enjoy home-cooked meals far more than restaurants (with a couple of exceptions still -- like Capital Grille).

Cole NeSmith, executive director, Creative City Project

CREATIVITY: 2020 was the year of creativity. Of course art, culture, and entertainment as we know it ceased. But at the heart of true creativity is problem-solving. That's what creativity is all about. After the initial shock, it was exciting to see businesses, communities, neighborhoods, and arts organizations dream of new ways of doing what we all do. Together, we embraced the outdoors, re-imagined our relationships with the natural environment, and brough brand new experiences to life.

Paul Partyka, president, Central Florida Commercial Association of Realtors

CASUAL WORK: Before Covid, what was Zoom? Sounds like a candy bar! Little did we know that one year later Zoom calls would be everyday occurrences. In 2019, most group meetings were in-person and we usually traveled many miles and got dressed up. Today, Zoom meetings are a regular occurrence, no traveling, the dress attire is very casual and the men have grown new facial hair. Seriously, Zoom meetings are the one thing that has changed my way of doing business or seeing the doctor or talking to family. Traveling to frequent in-person meetings has become obsolete. Zooming is here to stay.

Beverly Paulk, founding member, Central Florida Foundation and The Orlando Philharmonic

RESOURCEFUL TEAMWORK: Resourcefulness always has been a strength, but this past year pushed it up to a superpower. Leading an active professional group, working with two different diversity efforts and other volunteering required it. We addressed how to help critical nonprofits in addition to saving jobs or companies and emotionally and physically supporting people. We learned, planned, embraced technology, listened, acted and adjusted. I constantly was reminded that all good initial ideas improve when others are involved early in a process. This was a challenging and sad year on one level and strangely successful on another.

Gloria Pickar, president, League of Women Voters of Orange County

HEALTHY HABITS: Living in the COVID-19 era taught me that I had to anticipate and adapt to a new future. For example, pandemic-related restrictions forced me to develop new healthier self-care habits to replace professional health care. Until vaccinated, I chose to avert professional dental cleanings. Instead, I started a new routine of religiously flossing every night and brushing my teeth for two minutes twice daily. Heretofore, I flossed only intermittently. After 12 months, this is now a new habit and I am not comfortable going to bed without this part of my routine. I choose to adapt rather than be a pandemic victim.

Larry Pino, attorney and entrepreneur

EMBRACING ZOOM: While I knew what Zoom was prior to the pandemic, its scalability wasn’t apparent. Once we were sequestered, Zoom became the preferred channel of communication – reinforcing what Marshall McLuhan said years ago: “The medium is the message.” A year later, my daily routine has changed dramatically. Today, I have occasional sit-down meetings with locals, but they are few and far between. And, for most others spread across the country, it is no different than a client or business associate blocks away. At the office, I have been deemed an official “Zoomer,” and, right or wrong, that won’t be changing any time soon.

Joanie Schirm, GEC founding president; World Cup Orlando 1994 Committee chairman

MEMORABLE BACKGROUNDS: Beyond mastering the skill of how best to order out for food, I learned how to place a virtual background on my Zoom screen to distract people from noticing I don’t wear makeup when sequestered at home. The joy that accompanies this “skill" is that the photographs help me remember and remind others what lies ahead when the healthy coast is clear to travel again. Adventure lies ahead.

Beverly Seay, chair, UCF Board of Trustees

TIME FOR MYSELF: I have developed the skill of setting boundaries to ensure I have the time I need to take care of myself and my family, and to be there for my friends and my business interests. At the beginning of COVID-19, there was so much to do, and the time demand was high. Fortunately, talented people were already working together to identify and solve problems, facilitating the onboarding of new leadership while handling the crisis. The extraordinary talent of the evolving new leadership team has given me the comfort to now focus on the future.

Michael Slaymaker, professional fundraising executive

REKINDLING FRIENDSHIPS: Working from home this past year has afforded me time. Not that extra daylight savings hour, because the feds didn’t codify our wish to eliminate daylight saving time, but I digress. I didn’t have commute drive time, so what should I do with my time? The best thing I did was pick up the phone. I started calling family more often. I called friends I hadn’t spoken to in years. Yes, I liked their posts on Facebook, but how meaningful is that? Our conversations took off like we had just talked a week ago. I rekindled friendships during the pandemic.

Carol Wick, CEO, Sharity

BAKING AS AN ART FORM: Prior to the pandemic, I spent many days traveling and I would often grab my camera and explore the local museums. The shutdowns and the pandemic cut off a much-needed creative outlet that had to be filled. My go-to sources of art stifled, I turned to the pantry to fill the void. Baking and decorating cakes became my new art form. Lemon blueberry, blood orange spice, white chocolate lavender, the flavors have been wide-ranging but the reviews encouraging. The best part is not tasting them but giving them away.

Michael Zais, political blogger for thedrunkenrepublican.com

NO MORE HANDSHAKES: A couple of decades ago, long before anyone even imagined a bone-crushing pandemic, and as a self-described germophobe, I was often mocked for always having a ready supply of hand sanitizer sitting prominently on my desk. Well, who’s laughing now? So for me, the very welcome habit we have all gladly adopted is dispensing of the unnecessary and unsanitary handshake. Situations that required lots of handshaking typically resulted in me leading a stampede of other germophobes to the nearest restroom sink. While I’m sure the handshake will return on some muted level in the post-pandemic world, you can count me out.