[Additional essays and videocasts regarding psychological ramifications of the COVID-19 virus outbreak can be found at: https://communitiescollaborating.com/[
Kevin Weitz, Psy.D. and LarryHiner, Psy.D.
Societies around the world must address the challenge of COVID-19 at multiple levels–personal, family, friends and colleagues, team, organizational and societal. The Global Psychology Task Force has found that many of the psychological ramifications of this virus are first recognized, understandably, at the personal and family levels. We wonder about our own suseptibility to this pandemic virus and to the welfare of other members of our family. It would seem, however, that increasing concerns about the impact of the virus on the larger sectors: teams, organizations and social systems are likely to emerge in future months.
In keeping with this likely increase in concern about one of these sectors (organizations), William Bergquist interviewed two members of the Global Psychology Task Force, Kevin Weitz and Larry Hiner. Both have extensive experience in consulting to and working inside many organizations around the world (see a brief description of their backgrounds below).
Organizational Structures and Operations
Bergquist recorded three Zoom-based interviews with Drs. Weitz and Hiner. The first focused on the opportunities emerging in the radical rethinking of organizational structures and operations.
[To access this videocast, copy the link presented below, delete what is now in the browser (long diagonal box at top of your Internet page) and paste the new link in the browser. Then click on the dark black address that appears just below the browser. It should take you right to the videocast which you activate by clicking on the “play” arrow.]
https://psychology.zoom.us/rec/share/6MlyHYrt8TNIWZXD-FrHVPJiLNneT6a82nQfqPdexUnSKBp3zxmNgIvDoOiSHcYr?startTime=1587061957000
Organizational Culture
The second interview was primarily concerned with the challenges faced by organizations in moving at least temporarily to a virtual culture–with many if not all employees working from their home. More broadly, this interview dealt with the culture in which organizations will now operate during (and perhaps after) the virus’s invasion.
[To access this videocast, copy the link presented below, delete what is now in the browser (long diagonal box at top of your Internet page) and paste the new link in the browser. Then click on the dark black address that appears just below the browser. It should take you right to the videocast which you activate by clicking on the “play” arrow.]
https://psychology.zoom.us/rec/share/6MlyHYrt8TNIWZXD-FrHVPJiLNneT6a82nQfqPdexUnSKBp3zxmNgIvDoOiSHcYr?startTime=1587063567000
Organizational Leadership
The third interview was wide ranging with Weitz and Hiner being asked to consider what they would do as CEO of an organization with which they have consulted or in which they have offered professional coaching services.
[To access this videocast, copy the link presented below, delete what is now in the browser (long diagonal box at top of your Internet page) and paste the new link in the browser. Then click on the dark black address that appears just below the browser. It should take you right to the videocast which you activate by clicking on the “play” arrow.]
https://psychology.zoom.us/rec/share/6MlyHYrt8TNIWZXD-FrHVPJiLNneT6a82nQfqPdexUnSKBp3zxmNgIvDoOiSHcYr?startTime=1587064705000
_________
Kevin Weitz, Psy.D.
Dr. Kevin Weitz specializes in helping leaders define and align their organization’s culture and day-to-day behaviors with business strategy to execute effectively. Recently, his work has focused on shaping behaviors to reduce “insider threats” to highly confidential company information and cybersecurity.
Kevin Weitz has almost thirty years’ experience leading organizational transformation and change projects, with expertise in building leadership teams to drive change. He has global experience with multinational organizations in the US, Canada, Kazakhstan, Latin America and South Africa. Dr. Weitz has authored a Kindle e-book about organizational culture change entitled The House of Culture.
Larry Hiner, Psy.D.
Deacon Larry is co-founder and Executive Advisor for WorkforceEQ, a not-for-profit instituted to Enhance the Value of Dignity for All Persons in the Workplace. He earned his Doctorate in Psychology from the Professional School of Psychology in 2007, having previously earned a Masters in Counseling and Human Development from the Johns Hopkins University in 1980. He has experience in Clinical as well as Organizational practices. Dr. Hiner was Ordained as a Deacon in the Roman Catholic tradition in June of 2014, having completed 5 years of Seminary studies and discerning his call to the Diaconate. Deacon Larry has been married for 45 years and is the proud father to four sons and their families.
