Lessons about courage and resilience from wartime alliance partners of Israeli ventures

Grateful to the Philadelphia-Israel Chamber of Commerce for the breakfast program on Resilience, Courage and Business Leadership. And adding one more takeaway to the post by Mike Krupit — on lessons from Israel about resilience and courage

➡️ Mobize your champions. Ask for help. Don't try to get through the crisis alone or try to act like everything's OK, when it's clear that it's not.

"We want to feel like we're doing our part to support your continued success," one of the PICC panelists said, "not just wait and hope on the sidelines." So show your champions how they can help, not just what you're doing to earn their trust and continue to deliver in the crisis.

Our new book, Courage to Champion, shows innovation leaders how your success depends on a network of champions — who admire you and cheer you on — and also step up and advocate for you, partner with you and do things that you don't have capacity or connections to do.

West Pharmaceutical Services and TAV Dental Global had spokespeople on the PICC's panel, who talked about having key operations in Israel and relying on them to meet enterprise-critical deadlines for their key customers — along with Adam Schwartz from American Friends of ALYN Hospital and startup strategy advisor Amit Serusi and panel facilitator Beth Cohen. PICC President Tiffany Starr McKever, MS-HSM, MBA, host Stephen Doneson, CPA and program organizers Ellen Weber and Debra Rosenthal were great at bringing the panel and community for a vivid description of what life is like on the frontlines and how help from friends and champions abroad makes a difference.

The panelists offered some practical examples. Like… How do we adjust inventory planning and supply chain management, anticipating how it's harder to get critical supplies through customs, loaded on cargo planes, and delivered where they're needed? How do we flex meeting schedules so key Israeli team members can be available, understanding how schedules are different while family members are mobilized for reserve duty or while schools are closed? How do we assist in shifting production from one location in Israel to another? How do we step up collaborations to upgrade best practices in psychiatric care for children suffering through trauma — so we diagnose and treat conditions that differ from anything caregivers have ever faced before now? Rebalance priorities? And attend to each other's emotional needs, so we show up strong, sharp and joyful about the opportunity to contribute?

If you're working with Israeli partners, go beyond "We're OK" to listen for how you can help. And if you're the one in the midst of a crisis, whether or not you're in Israel, build a network of champions before you need to rely on them. And then, in the crisis, have the courage to reach out and mobilize support. Not just to do what needs done, so you deliver reliably, but to say, "Here's what I need" or "Here's the adversity. Let's get creative and think of a solution that redefines what's possible."

Dr Louise Yochee Klein and Dr Merom Klein are business psychologists who equip leaders to mobilize, expand and rely on networks of champions - with Courage to Champion so you get funded and get traction on bold innovations. They invite you to attend their next Executive Roundtable on Courage to Champion on the 10th December, 12:00 EST (09:00 PST, 19:00 Israel). Register here >