nor·mal /ˈnôrməl/
the usual, average, or typical state or condition.
– Oxford dictionary

Are you waiting for the “new” normal?

What are you waiting for?

• Normal hours
• Normal conversations
• Normal budgets
• Normal sales
• Normal offices
• Normal operations
• Normal teams
• Normal profits
• Normal clients

Will it really be new? What about it will be normal?

This mindset will be detrimental to your business and your team if you lean into the hope and outlook for normal.

It’s not the new normal. It’s what’s NEXT!

Next /nekst/
(of a time or season) coming immediately after the time of writing or speaking.
– Oxford dictionary

This is not a time or season of waiting or hoping on normal. This is about what is coming immediately after.

I’ve been intrigued by how professional sports are adapting and changing for what’s next. They are the furthest from normal that we all know. Europe is some months ahead of us in experience and it’s the weirdest thing to watch soccer without fans and have fan noise piped in (which is surprisingly well done).

After much gnashing of teeth, Major League Baseball has pivoted to a shorter season that will be played without fans as well. (Will they pipe in fan noise or will it be eerily quiet on the field?)

MLB changed a rule that has been discussed for decades: both leagues will use a designated hitter so all pitchers will not bat. The National League has never had a designated hitter. It will now. Do you think the 2021 season will have the National League with a DH?

I don’t think so. It’s what’s next.

Right now is an opportunity to design what’s next for your company. There is a list of “always done it this way,” ideas too crazy to try,  or 5 years from now vision boards. Don’t waste the opportunity to move your business forward faster right now.

What is your DH? What incumbent beliefs are no longer true? What tests, hypotheses, programs, can you try?

Yes, it will feel weird. It’s not normal.

What’s next?