The pandemic highlights the best among all of us, whether we are talking about the early leadership of Jay Inslee in Washington State, or the medical professionals and first responders who go to work every day — or the leadership on display this past week by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. The image is from yesterday’s address to the National Guard that Cuomo made. If you haven’t seen it, you might want to watch it and be lifted up, not just by the sheer power of his words, but by the fact that — like every great leader — both his head and his heart are engaged.

Governor Cuomo is doing what he was elected to do — speak and act on behalf of the citizens of New York State, without fear of what his words might cost him. While I have not always agreed with his tactics or his vision, I’m thinking on this matter we may wish to form a fan club.

Once I’ve learned how to teach online this quarter, I’m turning back to research work for my next book, which is tentatively titled Integrity and Risk. Three years ago, it was titled Leadership and Risk. I suspect that the COVID-19 pandemic will change the shape of other’s research going forward as well.

We need to hear more from our leaders these days.