Rob Creamer, President and CEO of Geneva Trading
What’s one significant way coronavirus has affected your work?
Under normal circumstances, communication is critical in order to keep a team engaged and aligned around business objectives. The COVID-19 pandemic amplifies people’s need for a greater level of communication to address their fears and elevated stress levels. My goal in light of the pandemic is to assure everyone at Geneva that we will get through this together, care for each other, and work collectively to address the many challenges ahead of us.
Despite the various ways we process the crisis– taking into consideration our personal circumstances and dispositions–we connect through our vulnerability. As a management team, we need to make sure that every voice is heard. Through frequent, firm-wide emails we bring the entire organization ringside as we discuss our plans for critical issues like how we are going to re-enter the office.
What’s a typical day like for you right now as we “shelter in place”?
My two teenage daughters make fun of me for wearing business attire around the house – I’m a creature of habit and maintaining my routine provides me with structure. It also helps set the tone for the day – it’s a workday, not a Sunday. I also learned from my girls that I’m on the phone or Microsoft Teams all day long, and regardless of the format, apparently, I talk way too loudly.
What’s something that has given you hope for the future after this pandemic?
I’m very fortunate to work with an incredible Team at Geneva. Everyone’s eagerness to step up and express their concern for each other, to praise each other, and to support each other has been incredible. As long as we all do our best to maintain our positive attitude, we can get through this. We have learned some values about what is really important to us which will shape our thinking as we move forward. Like the generation shaped by the Great Depression, the pandemic will forever be ingrained in our collective psyche.
