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All organizations think they are ready until they are disrupted and the disconnect between intent and reality is laid bare. Well-thought-out Business Continuity Consulting are produced that look adequate on paper but fail miserably under the situation when reality and reality-check bite. Business Continuity Consultant often means thinking structurally, but actually, business continuity is as much about thinking, acting, and making decisions as a human being as it is structurally.
When there’s a crisis, people rely on instinct and habit and established workplace rules rather than reference materials such as binders or diagrams. When there is an intimidating escalation path that creates hesitancy among team members, or when there is no clear accountability for decision making, delays occur. When a sense of continuity appears to be “someone else’s responsibility,” even the best laid out plans will not get used.
Traditional planning typically misses this mark as it places a larger emphasis on structure and a lesser emphasis on how people behave when in a stressful situation. Provided consulting that only has template solutions assumes people behave rationally during irrational moments (e.g., crisis). The fact is that people reacting under fear, hierarchy, uncertainty, and poor communication will primarily define outcomes rather than a process diagram will.
To bridge this gap in continuity requires someone to redefine continuity as a team effort instead of as a compliance task to meet some regulatory requirement. When people know why their role is important and feel safe to act, their responses will be quick, clear and efficient.
When continuity consulting helps organizations think about their future, resilience develops because it creates an environment where people are able to choose from multiple options. Continuity plans are created based on reality rather than theoretical or idealized situations. In addition, it helps teams to develop understanding of roles and responsibilities, fosters and develops trust and embeds continuity into everyday leadership.
Cultural interventions through workshops, simulations or scenario discussions support teams to practice judgement versus memorizing processes/steps and to identify and resolve friction points prior to an actual event.
Resiliency is not only established via documentation. Resiliency is created by alignment, ownership and confidence. Business Continuity Consulting will provide more value when working with you to reshape your organization's behaviors, enhance decision-making and develop a culture of Business Continuity. Once you provide your people with the authority and ability to take action, as opposed to merely having them follow a plan, you create continuity as an organization that is living rather than simply an existing document. Visit https://paradigmsi.com/ to learn how Paradigm Solutions International (PSI) Business Continuity Consulting can help.