Resilient leadership: Propel toward recovery

As we progress through the Recovery phase of the crisis, resilient leaders recognize and reinforce critical shifts from a “today” to a “tomorrow” mindset for their teams. They perceive how major COVID-19-related market and societal shifts have caused substantial uncertainties that need to be navigated—and may be seized as an opportunity to grow and change.

Virtual and remote: Navigating the next financial close

As the COVID-19 pandemic forced workers to abandon their offices earlier this year, many finance leaders found themselves in a predicament: how to manage a period-end close with a distributed and distracted workforce. It was far from simple. Decentralization, involving collaboration across different systems and locations, suddenly became an organizing principle. Shortfalls, whether in staffing, IT infrastructure, or cybersecurity, quickly became visible.

FinOps: Keeping a lid on post-COVID cloud costs

In the rush to support business continuity and remote work, many organizations have ramped up their cloud usage—sometimes taking on more resources than they actually need. FinOps is one strategy that can help keep costs under control. The COVID-19 crisis has already transformed the business world in countless ways as many companies scramble to stay operational while moving much of their work online. Frequently, cloud technology is an essential means to both ends.

Experience brief: Rethink business with human-centered design

COVID-19 has triggered astonishingly swift and sweeping change to how people work, shop, socialize, relax, approach hygiene, and generally view the world. Which new behaviors and habits will persist, and what are the implications for the long-term viability of different business strategies? As organizations move forward with little precedent and considerably high stakes, human-centered design can provide much-needed structure and focus for assessing needs, testing and building solutions, and adapting business models to recover more quickly and thrive over the long term.

Under pressure – Leading in uncertain times

Just months ago, boards were contemplating what lay ahead for a new decade. The impact of changing community expectations, evolving technology and a growing climate threat were among the key topics being discussed. Those issues haven’t gone away, but they’ve been sidelined by a situation few people could have foreseen. The rapid spread of COVID-19 has affected every corner of the globe, with unprecedented measures being taken to protect people and reduce its severity. While public health is the top priority, economic and social considerations are close behind.

Coronavirus: 15 emerging themes for boards and executive teams

Recently, McKinsey spoke with a group of leading nonexecutive chairs and directors at companies around the world who serve on the McKinsey Resilience Advisory Council, a group of external advisers that acts as a sounding board and inspiration for our latest thinking on risk and resilience. They shared the personal insights and experiences gained from their organizations’ efforts to manage through the crisis and resume work. The 15 themes that emerged offer a guide to boards and executive teams everywhere.