Reopening a museum during Covid was a unique opportunity. While our primary goal was to keep visitors and staff safe, we were also able to capitalize on this moment to implement a number of long-wished-for changes. From museum hours to digital member cards to new exhibitions processes, this crisis launched the Art Institute years forward.

Crises are opportunities: just because you have to be reactive to current circumstances doesn't mean you can't be proactive on other fronts.

There are few projects as high risk and high reward as a new building. The project itself is complex and the opening even more so, but the real test is daily operations. After witnessing a launch of a beautiful new building, I also witnessed its immediate and ongoing operational failure. Mitigation took years. Don’t let this happen to your project: Make sure the right teams are at the table to help build daily operations into your roadmap.

Crisis management is, regretfully, something most institutions must tackle at some point.

When your organization’s name is all over the press, and board members are firing off angry messages, and staff is in an uproar, it’s not time to panic. This is an opportunity just like any planned transformational moment. If you handle it well, with a clear roadmap and a disciplined decision-making process, your organization will emerge stronger.

When the Obama Portraits went on tour, we knew it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reach new audiences. I worked with departments across the museum to ensure that we maximized attendance and created a visitor experience that was warm and welcoming--despite mask and social distancing requirements.

When you're handed a gift, make the most of it by getting everyone involved. You might find that innovation emerges from unexpected quarters.