This week, several cities and states issued shelter-in-place or safer-at-home mandates to help slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In many cases, these decisions also make it clear we’ve got a long road ahead of us. This doesn’t seem like it’s going to be over anytime soon. It’s going to stretch our collective abilities to think of new ways to be there for each other.

Make no mistake. These are unsettling times. We can’t plan for everything. Now, more than ever, an innovative culture and mindset will help us navigate things with fewer interruptions and more courage.

You may wonder, “When will things be back to normal?” My answer? Never!

At American Family Insurance, we’ve quickly transitioned to remote work, but when the virus curves start moving in the right direction, we’ll need a plan for how we resume.  

• What will this new normal look like?
• How much remote work is good, and in what areas and for what types of people?
• What does span of control look like?
• What are the skills needed by our leaders in that new environment?

I believe organizations must think about these ideas NOW, because when state and federal actions are lifted, it won’t be about just everyone heading back to their offices.

Be ready to move quickly and understand what our new environment looks like. Innovation will be important but so will working together to solve problems. Don’t sit back and rely on old processes or someone to tell you what to do.

This is changing how we lead, too. It will affect how we lead ourselves and how we lead others. We need to be intentional about connections, development and goals. 

A crisis can – and often does – generate rapid adaptation, change and innovation. It’s what I consider forced innovation. Right now, many of us are learning on the fly because of all that’s happened since this pandemic shook our planet. We’re forced to adapt, change and learn – rapidly.

External threats do that, and they’re sometimes necessary. But they’re best when also paired with planned innovation. I’m grateful we have this mindset at American Family. It is in our culture – our DNA – now. It’s one of our values!

Our recent history includes plenty of examples of planned innovation. Things like data science, AmFam Ventures, StartingBlock Madison, the Spark or our Milwaukee initiative are products of our company’s planned innovation.

We also rolled out a Changing Nature of Work initiative, and learning programs to help us develop transformational skills. These set us apart inside and outside our industry. They make us more competitive. They help us grow. They attract stronger talent. And, they manifest more innovation.

Imagine what it’s like at companies not wired this way? Where a growth mindset and culture is lacking? Or where technology is outdated? We’re seeing an awakening. Many organizations are now being forced to get up to speed quickly – from a variety of factors, but especially remote work.

American Family has been intentional about planned innovation. I’m challenging our people to take the short-term innovation forced on us by COVID-19 and make it systemic and long term. This innovation can help us grow, create better processes, adapt how we staff areas and so much more.

I’m convinced all organizations can be stronger and more resilient when this crisis ends. Some of that comes from who you were before. Some will come from what you learn – and adapt to – after we emerge from this.