Living through the Covid-19 pandemic has brought about a vast array of emotions, from fear and anxiety over the unknown, to appreciation and gratitude for what we have. One person who is considering how the individual and how society will work through these challenges is Dan Shapiro, founder and director of the Harvard International Negotiation Program. He teaches a course on negotiation at Harvard College and is an Associate Professor in psychology at Harvard Medical School/McLean hospital. He also has several publications, including “Negotiating the Non-negotiable: how to resolve your most emotionally charged conflicts”.

Considering how to make difficult decisions – life and death decisions during this pandemic – means not always having a “right answer”. Dr Shapiro suggests the focus should be on “what is the best process to get us to find those answers”. “My 2020” is a seven-part series, hosted by Mina Al-Oraibi, The National's Editor-in-Chief, speaking to leaders on how their lives and industries have been changed by Covid-19.