Full Steam Ahead
Strong leaders reflect on the past to prepare for the future.
If 2020 taught us anything it’s that we can never be too prepared for disruptive change.
In just the last 20 years, we have witnessed multiple dramatic events that have reshaped the way we live, the way we work, and the way we lead. 9/11 in 2001, the Spitzer investigation in 2004, the financial crisis in 2008, the passage of the ACA in 2010, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. With each major inflection point, The Council has convened its leadership, explored its options, and adjusted accordingly to reflect the time and the needs of the organization and its membership. Business models have changed, legislative and regulatory policies have taken shape, and creativity and innovation have skyrocketed. Each event has forced changed and threatened outright disruption but we’ve been nimble in our response, maneuvering as needed.
With each major inflection point, The Council has convened its leadership, explored its options, and adjusted accordingly to reflect the time and the needs of the organization and its membership.
Reimagining how we do business in the post-COVID world will be another significant challenge. Since last March, we have operated in three phases, all with the focus of moving forward: to get through the crisis; to create safe back-to-work procedures; and to develop the communication and information employees and clients will need in the weeks, months, and years ahead. Over the last three months specifically, we engaged in a series of virtual strategy sessions with dozens of industry stakeholders to think more holistically about various aspects of the business and to prepare and adapt for future changes, known and unknown.
We worked to identify areas where our collective action and viewpoints could be utilized for both The Council and the broader industry to better address the pains and needs of our respective clients. It was an investment in our business well worth undertaking, and certainly our work is not complete. In the months ahead, we’ll continue to come together to explore and test our hypotheses and recommendations. Shaping the future takes time, and we’ve never been an organization that stands on the sidelines.
It has been a difficult year with many ups and downs, but we have a lot to be grateful for and many opportunities before us to be excited about. As we hit the ground running in 2021, I’d like to thank you for the time, talent and energy you give to our organization and our industry.
Here’s to a great year ahead.
