ABSTRACT
As the world reacts with unprecedented efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, the role of organizational leaders is to embark on a parallel track to keep mission-critical initiatives moving forward. One track includes preparing their organizations for the next "novel" virus. After all, organizations do not hire leaders to maintain the status quo; they are hired to drive the future. As much as death and taxes are inevitable, it is equally predictable that all organizations will sooner or later confront a black swan event. History teaches us that while the order of magnitude may vary, management crises are not entirely novel. This article explores a series of early risk mitigation strategies to prevent the next COVID-19 and prepare leadership to face this inevitable challenge.