Band of Brothers is an American war miniseries. The series dramatizes the history of “Easy” Company during WWII. The men fight, laugh, and cry together through countless battles as they move across Europe towards Berlin. Good men are lost along the way, leaders emerge in the heat of the action, and cowards show their true colors. They forge bonds lasting a lifetime.

Combat or “operational experience” is a critical ingredient required for promotion in the military. In the heat of the battle, rites of passage that normally take years, take place in days.

People will connect and rise to the occasion in the same way during the 2020 lockdown and fight against COVID-19.

In New York, the unofficial rule is seven years of living in the city until you can call yourself a New Yorker. Those silly rules don’t matter anymore. If you lived through the lockdown in cities like San Francisco, New York, or London, then you will be a local. It’s a baptism of fire, banding together as good citizens, doing their part in the battle to beat COVID.

In companies, there will be pre-COVID and post COVID employee cohorts. “Campfire” stories will be told about friends and colleagues who rolled up their sleeves, served their customers, looked after each other, made sacrifices and saw it through to fight another day. There will be battlefield promotions and demotions as people step up. The COVID alumni networks will outlast any LinkedIn connections made over the last 10+ year bull market.

Now we fight. We will tell stories later.

‘We few, we happy few, we band of brothers’

Photo by Austin Kehmeier on Unsplash