and are open to new experiences and flexible in to strengthen the skills related to learning how to their thinking. And that, COVID-19 has demonstrated, learn—just as the US Navy has done with its is what business needs, too. hybrid sailors. Learning and adaptability has been on the CEO 9. Rethink the role of CEOs and leaders. COVID-19 agenda for some time, but even more so during the has brought a fundamental change in leadership in pandemic. In the last few months, some of the many organizations. The leaders that stand out have best leadership teams have been on a steep shifted from directing a command-and-control learning curve: learning how to lead in a time of crisis response to building and unleashing winning crisis, learning to manage rapidly forming agile teams. Several CEOs described their role in the teams, making decisions at a much faster pace, and last few months as energizing, empowering, and learning to adapt. Forward-thinking companies are “unblocking” their leadership teams. They also now accelerating their capability-building efforts overinvest in communicating clearly and regularly by developing leadership and critical thinking skills to build trust, and constantly link their actions at different levels of the organization, increasing to the purpose of the institution. their employees’ capacity to engage with technology and use advanced analytics, and building functional To maintain the speed the COVID-19 crisis has skills for the future, such as next-generation unleashed, organizations need more of this kind of procurement, Industry 4.0 manufacturing, and leadership. The future requires leaders to act digital marketing and sales. as visionaries instead of commanders—focused on inspiring their organizations with a clear vision These companies recognize that the pace and scale of the future, and then empowering others to realize of learning must keep up with that of innovation the vision. It will require leaders who build winning and changes in technology. Skills can and do expire. teams; they coach their players but let them make Organizations need people who can continually the decisions and execute. These leaders will learn and adapt. In many cases, companies will need need to bring energy and passion to catalyze to reskill large portions of the workforce. That will innovation, change, and growth. One CEO told us, require expanding the learning content available to “I measure how I feel every day, because ultimately employees and using technology to deliver what my job is to give energy and empowerment to is needed to each person. It also will mean building the organization.” the organizational and institutional muscle Skills can and do expire. Organizations need people who can continually learn and adapt. Ready, set, go: Reinventing the organization for speed in the post-COVID-19 era 27