The current global health crisis is going to leave everyone with lasting memories, and for many not the kind we would want. The human impact has been huge and continues to grow.

One consequence that is becoming clear is the scale of innovation that is happening in response to the pandemic, and particularly in the legal sector. The swift onset and significant impact of Covid-19 on businesses has been unprecedented, creating an enormous push to make changes for survival. This may not feel like innovation as we have known it in peacetime, however that is exactly what we are seeing. The Wikipedia definition of innovation: development of new methods of production; the establishment of new management systems; both a process and an outcome.

In recent weeks we have seen trial lawyers experimenting with new technologies, and a wave of innovation from the litigation support industry, as well as court processes going digital, to name a few. The UK the courts have been forced to adapt in a bid to stay operational and although video calling and streaming is not new technology until now there has not been much appetite for it. Although the remote working enablement is often highlighted and discussed, for the wider legal sector it really is just the tip of the iceberg.

The Financial Times recently launched a legal hackathon focused on addressing the challenges and opportunities now faced in the wake of Covid-19. As part of this rich seam of ideas making the legal sector more efficient and effective is receiving a great deal of attention. Clearly there is a new level of activity and drive bringing innovation to all aspects of firm activity.

So, one key questions is: how do we harness this drive for the future?

The current health crisis will pass, albeit with the human and economic impact still to be defined. It seems that a return to how things were is unlikely, however we need to maintain the innovation mindset; a way of working that captures a thirst for improvement. Although there has been much discussion of innovation cultures in organizations, the pace of change seems glacial when compared to the action in 2020. So, what have we learnt and how to we keep the momentum?

A crisis does mean that there is a level of focus and attention that can be harder to achieve otherwise. It also drives prioritization and ensures that resources are directed to support key projects. Yet, there are plenty of examples of organizations achieving huge levels of innovation without requiring an unprecedented global event. 

It is clear that firms need to drive a culture that supports innovation in ways that make today’s level of change, engagement and focus sustainable. Here are five learnings we should apply:

1. Stop using ‘innovation’

The word is overused and continues to create the wrong images for people as we seek change and improvement. During the Covid-19 pandemic we have responded and built new solutions, adapted to the evolving circumstances, and in many cases working to ensure survival. The message was not to go and ‘innovate’; it was about urgent, necessary change to enable many elements of life to continue to function. Change, development, enhanced approaches in the coming months and years will be required for business survival. Innovation needs to be replaced with a mindset of faster change and evolution.

2. Be clear everything is on the table

Innovation budgets, or resource, have too often been focused on visible and typically consumer or client facing activities. Recreating processes or improving daily activities were not perceived as the goal. Over recent months, those organization that have been able to function in a changed environment needed agility of thinking across all aspects of their business models. Organizations need to be very clear that business survival requires change, innovation, in all areas, whether that’s product or process. Everything needs to be considered.

3. Harness dissatisfaction

In-depth reviews and analysis are often not needed as people throughout the organization can see what needs to be enhanced - they have just grown to accept it or feel that there is no point raising it, again. There needs to be a culture that harnesses the dissatisfaction, the things we see that we know need changing. Those are powerful insights into the business, so capture them and empower action.

4. Provide space

Change doesn’t happen in a defined part of the organization, and we need the encompassing mindset that makes innovation part of the daily routine. As a stepping stone to that, creating some space reinforces the priority, business commitment, and creates time to ensure the organization discusses enhancement and innovation regularly. Set time in the week for innovation for all, bring it to life, create a tangible and engaging focus.

5. Track progress - success and experiments

We have to know how we are doing. What ideas are coming forward, to change what, where and how? Of those ideas that do advance what is working, and most importantly what are we learning from the experiments -- and things that do not go as expected. Capture those insights, track the ideas, and make this visible.

The time to make changes in the organization is now. We are never too busy - we are just making other choices. Change, evolution, aka innovation, need to be part of everyone’s go forward mindset and this current pandemic has highlighted how we need to constantly be preparing for the next new normal.