I’m guessing I’m not alone in thinking “WTF 2020?” I mean, seriously. Remember when the wildfires in Australia was considered one of the most traumatic events in recent memory? That was soooo January. Throughout the last two months, we’ve had a front-row seat to witness the devastation, as well as the absolute best, of humanity. And while I’m gutted at some of the global challenges we’ve faced of late, I am personally energized by the opportunity that lies within the chaos. I am grateful that I’ve been able to put that opportunity to good use during our time spent self-quarantining both personally and professionally.
In January of 2020, all 1,600 members of our global Rapid7 team came together in Boston for an amazing kickoff celebration centered around providing the best experience possible for our customers. Through incredibly impactful speakers, immersive experiences and a whole lot of fun and music to support the event, it might have been one of my favorite events since joining the company over nine years ago. We all left excited to try out our new learnings with our customers. And then just two short months later, everything we learned was put to the real test.
Before I move on, let me share that my latest binge watching obsession has been The Last Dance. If you are unfamiliar, it’s about the 1990’s Chicago Bulls team. Even if you aren’t a sports fan, nearly everyone on the planet is familiar with Michael Jordan. Arguably the best to ever play the game of basketball, he’s widely acknowledged by his peers as truly extraordinary. Of course his innate talent is undeniable. And yet the thing that makes him so remarkable to me is his understanding that his skill alone would not win championships. It would take the entire team showing up and giving their absolute best. Together, they would win six championships in the 1990s.
The Bulls and Jordan are top of mind right now given I’ve been eagerly awaiting new episodes to drop every Sunday night. And yet, I’ve thought of them often for decades. I’m not particularly sentimental (at all), I keep very little from my past. However, I do have a pen I bought from the first time I saw them play together in Chicago. It sits on my desk at home, and has for nearly 30 years. I would have loved to have bought a jersey, but I couldn’t afford one back then. Instead, this silly ballpoint pen, long out of ink, still represents to me what is possible when everyone comes together and brings out the best in each other. Right now, I feel like Rapid7 is doing it’s best to channel the 1990’s era Bulls team.
We have our Michael Jordan. Corey Thomas, a long beloved leader in the Boston business community, plays that role. Yesterday alone, he was named to Governor Baker’s Reopening Advisory Council, AND Boston Magazine’s Top 100 Influential People in Boston. This came on the same day we announced our largest acquisition to date, with DivvyCloud. The thing that makes Corey an exceptional leader isn’t just because he’s a brilliant guy with humility and charm. It is that he surrounds himself with incredible talent to maximize his possibility of winning. He holds the bar exceptionally high for himself, which in turn causes everyone who works with him to move their own bar up too. The result is a true team, not just one superstar, who comes to not just to play - but to win championships - every single day.
As our self-quarantine creeps towards the two month mark, our company focus has shifted from “This is brutal - I’m having trouble working from home!!” to “Hey, we all have challenges working from home, but what can I do to truly add impact right now?” The content of our weekly Town Halls has moved from COVID-related and financial updates to proactively sharing how we will guide the business forward. We all understand that we all have a job to do to aid us in surviving and thriving through this time because one fantastic leader cannot carry it by himself.
It’s hard not to open a link and read of the businesses struggling during this time. It warms my heart to see communities come together and partner during this time to lift each other up. It also fascinates me to witness how teams and companies are coming together in the most unlikely of ways right now, because despite the enormous challenges they face, they absolutely refuse to back down.
COVID-19 and the economy are the personification of the bullying Detroit Pistons that the Chicago Bulls worked so hard to dominate in the 89 and 90 seasons. To all those companies who are digging deep and bringing their own version of those game-changing Bulls, I applaud you. We might get a little beat up along the way, but together we will dominate.
Christina Luconi is Chief People Officer for Rapid7. Follow her on Twitter: @peopleinnovator.