“In the rush to return to normal, use this time to consider which parts of normal are worth rushing back to.” - Dave Hollis, author and coach

I just took my first flight in 16 months. Just a short trip from Houston to Orlando, but enough to realize all I had neglected to remember about travel—like the parking, the security lines, etc. Thankfully, my packing skills were still on point, and I remembered everything I needed.

All this is to say that there is a sense of returning to normal in some countries. And while there are still some outbreaks and lockdowns around the world, there is a growing sense of hope that this return to normal will be global. When it does finally happen, I do believe our normal will look different. Some companies may return to offices, but only for 2-3 days per week. Some may not ever return to the office. PwC found remote work so successful that it is now a permanent option for their staff. Of course, not every function can be done from home. Projects like mine involve extended periods on-site and offshore. I do not see this entirely changing, but the use of technology has provided opportunities to reduce the number of people who need to be on-site.

ISA, like all organizations, is also working through what the new normal means. We have found great interest in our virtual events, webinars, and Connect Live sessions hosted by Divisions. At the virtual Analysis event in March, attendance was up 40% from the in-person equivalent, 54% of the attendees were non-members and 53% of the attendees were from outside North America. Successes like this need to be considered in the shaping of our new normal. I have previously mentioned how our training and certification programs quickly transitioned to online. Our offer for members to sign up for the first Certified Automation Professional online learning module was so oversubscribed, we had to stop registrations after just one hour.

Last month we achieved another first, having a Connect Live session with the three 2023 presidential candidates. This event gave the membership a chance to hear directly from their candidates just before voting opened. If you missed the session, you can watch the recording. And please, login and cast your ballot for your next ISA leaders. Voting closes on 30 June.

As always, feel free to contact me if you have any thoughts or comments. I would love to know what you are most excited about as the world reopens and what you hope we learned during this time that to which we should hold tight.

Let’s take heed of Dave Hollis’ comment and consider which parts of returning to normal are worth the rush. We must capitalize on this opportunity (hopefully a once in a lifetime opportunity) to change how we work and interact for the better. Together, as a global membership, we are creating a better world through automation.

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