Recently I wrote about the importance of integrating response and continuity operations. This makes sense conceptually but, like so much in emergency management, the devil is in the details. Response and continuity have different objectives that have the potential to conflict with each other and the planning and execution of each involve different actors and leadership. How then do you integrate such disparate operations?
The answer is not as complex as one would think but it is difficult in execution. Over the years I have developed some rules of thumb that I share with my clients.
- Recognize that successful resilience requires an enterprise-wide approach. Response and continuity are not discrete functions but are inter-related and co-dependent. Actions taken in one will have an impact on the other. If you have a successful response but no plans for continuity your organization will most likely one of those that fail after a disaster. Alternatively, if response fails, there’s no need for continuity; you won’t have the resources to continue as an effective organization. Response often relies on the restoration of key systems while decisions made during response may have long-term consequences for the organization.
- Be clear about your priorities. Priorities drive strategy which in turn drives operational planning. Priorities are not always obvious. I was once asked to assist a non-profit in developing their command center to communicate with their clients immediately after an earthquake and to coordinate with public agencies. They were on the verge of committing some serious funds on radios and satellite phones until I asked the simple question, “Why?” This eventually led to a discussion as to their mission. It turned out they had no resources or technical assistance to offer clients during the first 24 hours following an earthquake. Their mission was to provide emergency funding once their clients had identified the need for the funds in a formal request. The organization’s priorities shifted from establishing a command center to continuity operations that would position them to deal immediately with client requests for funding.
- Centralize coordination and decentralize planning. Unless your organization is small, putting everyone in the same room to develop plans can be counterproductive. As Scott Adams, the creator of Dilbert points out, the IQ of a meeting diminishes with each member added. Be comfortable with a variety of task forces and working groups trying to solve specific problems but have a mechanism for reviewing and integrating their end products. This mechanism should have sufficient authority to identify and resolve issues such as duplication of effort and competition for scarce resources.
- Identify your leadership structure. The question of who’s in charge always arises sooner or later, so nip it in the bud right up front. Decide how you will coordinate your planning process. Will you use a committee or a single executive? Who has final say on key decisions? Note that this is about strategy development and planning, not operational leadership. That can be developed later as part of your planning.
- Be inclusive. There is a tendency to top load committees with managers and senior supervisors. However, the expertise you need in a crisis is usually found in the employees that work with critical processes on a daily. Remember that one of the characteristics of successful high-risk organizations if deference to expertise; do not hesitate to include people who know how to deal with a crisis, regardless of their rank in the organization.
- Formalize your planning structure. Create an administrative plan that defines roles, responsibilities, and authorities and formalizes the process for developing workplans and deliverables. The role of an administrative plan is twofold: it clarifies what is expected of stakeholders and, by their agreeing to it, fosters commitment to the planning process.
If this sounds like I’m recommending developing a full emergency management program, you’re right. Planning for organizational resilience is not a one-time process; it needs to be sustained and revised as situations change. Having a program that identifies priorities and has the capability to translate those priorities into effective operational plans is vital to preparing for a crisis.
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