I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard that during my military service.
We practised…and practised….and practised. When we thought it was over, we’d practise some more. Then we would go into the field and put that practise to good use. We practised in an offensive context and a defensive context. We practised day and night, wet and dry, hot and cold, rested and tired, well-resourced and under-resourced, with good and not so good situational awareness, with and without a clear end in sight.
Why? First, to build muscle memory on critical processes so that you can perform them flawlessly when under extreme pressure. Second, to use those skills in the right context and in as many different situations as possible. Third, to become comfortable with discomfort and ambiguity.
A friend once observed:
The amateurs practise until they get it right.
The professionals practise so that they get it right no matter the situation or how bad or stressful is that situation.
Two ‘old soldiers’ reminiscing? Partially correct - we are old soldiers. We were actually talking about the linkages between crisis management and innovation.
I would argue that crisis management is usually reactive, and that innovation is proactive. Both consider disruption to the status quo. Both require a structured approach to assessment, decision making and action. Action also includes risk management and communication.
We have noted that during 2020 many of our clients have managed crises and/or innovated. For some that was concurrent activity. As our clients are emerging from their COVID-19 response we’ve heard variations on three themes:
We’ve survived. We have done an amazing job and are now expert crisis managers. We don’t need to train any more.
We are tired. The team has been working hard and need a break. Call us next year.
We survived. We are leaner. We are putting our budgets together and will call you if we think we can afford training on crisis or risk management.
A combination of statements 1, 2 and 3.
Heading toward 2021, how have you prepared?
Whether preparing for your next crisis, re-evaluating your risks, or preparing to innovate, talk to us. The skills we help you enhance are as useful in day-to-day operations as during a crisis.
Tigertail Australia has the background and experience to equip your organisation with skills to manage risk, crisis, and emergencies confidently and effectively. In addition to considerable business and government management experiences, the Tigertail team are proven crisis and emergency management leaders, business continuity specialists, risk management advisors, planners, and trainers with more than 150 years of combined experience, covering prevention and preparedness to response and recovery.
Author: Craig Moroz, Senior Associate, Tigertail Australia
W: www.tigertail.com.au T: +61 (0)408 481 931 E: answers@tigertail.com.au
TIGERTAIL AUSTRALIA: CONFIDENCE / CLARITY / CONTINUITY
