In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic when many organisations, families and individuals have had to adapt to the “New Normal”; it has become imperative that one has to improve one’s learning skills. The environment has rapidly changed with our homes doubling up as offices for the adults, schools for children, recreational area for the entire family as well as a refuge where one retreats to recharge one’s batteries…

While the term “think tank” is new, according to historian Jacob Soll, the concept can be traced back to the humanist academies and scholarly networks of the 16th and 17th centuries. The origins of think tanks in Europe can be traced back to the 800s, when emperors and kings began arguing with the Catholic Church about taxes. “From Charlemagne1 to the 17th century, when the kings of France were still arguing about whether they had the right to appoint bishops and receive a cut of their income, monarchs hired teams of independent lawyers to advise them on their financial and political prerogatives against the church.” Soll cites the Académie des frères Dupuy, founded in Paris, as an early example.

When the COVID 19 pandemic first emerged, many of us in the developing world thought that the virus was just another “flu bug” which would have little if any impact on our lives. However, after over two (2) years of different forms of lockdowns with their devastating impacts on several individuals, families, and businesses, it is imperative that one not only survives but works hard to thrive.