When I think about the word "hybrid," the first thing that pops into my mind is hybrid cloud models, which are de-facto in many organizations. But what I've come to see over this past year is that hybrid isn't just about the technology, hybrid models are taking over our daily lives.

I witnessed first-hand how it took years of learning and adjusting to determine how to do hybrid cloud right, in order to optimize a company's technology investments. And in the end, we as an industry have realized that there's no one-size-fits-all when it comes to cloud vs on-prem with your technology strategy. The need for flexibility and accessibility moved organizations towards the hybrid model: a way to get the best of both worlds while meeting the unique needs of the company and its business.

Today's new normal is vacillating across a spectrum of hybrid models, too. The 2020 pandemic forced all of us to shift our work and home lives, and quickly. For example, at work, teams are trying to manage a hybrid of remote workers and in-office workers, while schools and parents are trying to manage remote and in-person learning.

Unlike major tech shifts which have sometimes taken years to be realized, this new model has been an overnight jolt to our systems. And it's been anything but smooth. In fact, for most of us, it's broken. Very broken.

You hear about kids who are unable to join their classes online due to lack of access to WiFi or laptops, or teachers who are running on fumes trying to design education plans that cover both in-person or online learning simultaneously. In the workforce, you're seeing droves of parents — mostly women — leaving their jobs to manage their families through this pandemic.

We don't have a decade to figure out the new hybrid world, but I have faith that together we'll work it out because we've seen the silver lining of finding the best of both worlds through hybrid models.

Capitalizing on the best of both remote and in-person work/school will be determined by tailoring the benefits to your company's or family's needs. Organizations and individuals are on a fast path to finding their hybrid: At work, how are we re-envisioning our schedules, the level of flexibility, and even the physical design of our workspaces? Each team and perhaps type of role will have different needs but will optimize to find their best mode of balance. At school, how can curriculum for various subjects be optimized to take advantage of the best of remote learning practices and experiences?

One thing is certain: Flexibility and adaptability are key, as both benefits and requirements to developing the hybrid model that enables you to thrive. Those attitudes will future-proof our new normal now, and in the event other crises come to jolt the system, we'll be ready with a best of both worlds hybrid solution.