ridley - Blog - Global Risk Community2024-03-28T17:25:50Zhttps://globalriskcommunity.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/ridleySocial Media for Security and Risk Management Professionals [Webinar]https://globalriskcommunity.com/profiles/blogs/social-media-for-security-and-risk-management-professionals2013-01-17T21:11:05.000Z2013-01-17T21:11:05.000ZTony Ridleyhttps://globalriskcommunity.com/members/TonyRidley<div><p style="text-align:center;"><span style="color:#000080;"><strong>Social Media for Security and Risk Management Professionals</strong></span></p><p style="text-align:center;"></p><p style="text-align:center;"><em><span style="color:#000080;"><strong>Everything you NEED to know</strong></span></em></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span style="color:#000080;"><strong>[Webinar]</strong></span></p><p><a href="http://managementresearchdevelopment.com/webinars/social-media-security-risk-management-professionals" target="_blank"><img src="http://managementresearchdevelopment.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/social_bomb-300x225.png?width=400" width="400" class="align-center" alt="social_bomb-300x225.png?width=400" /></a></p><p></p><p><strong><a href="http://managementresearchdevelopment.com/webinars/social-media-security-risk-management-professionals" target="_blank">Click Here</a></strong></p><p>Social media is a growing influence on businesses and executive management.</p><p><em><strong>Do you know they key issues affecting your business and how social media plays a role? </strong></em></p><p>This webinar is aimed at security and risk managers to help them quickly understand the issues, concerns and opportunities that social media presents.</p><p>The session will cover:</p><ul><li>What social media really is for businesses</li><li>The big ones to be aware of and why</li><li>How and what to monitor</li><li>Crisis, response and defence online</li><li>Social Intelligence</li></ul><p><span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong><a href="http://managementresearchdevelopment.com/webinars/social-media-security-risk-management-professionals" target="_blank">Click Here</a></strong></span></p></div>Crisis Management and Leadership Education Tutorials [Video]https://globalriskcommunity.com/profiles/blogs/crisis-management-and-leadership-education-tutorials-video2013-01-17T21:01:09.000Z2013-01-17T21:01:09.000ZTony Ridleyhttps://globalriskcommunity.com/members/TonyRidley<div><p style="text-align:center;"><span style="color:#000080;"><strong>Crisis Management and Leadership Education Tutorials</strong></span></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span style="color:#000080;"><strong>[Video]</strong></span></p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong><a href="http://crisismanagement.tony-ridley.com/crisis-management-and-leadership-online-video-training" target="_blank"><img src="http://crisismanagement.tony-ridley.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Crisis-Management-and-Leadership-Training.Tony-Ridley.03-copy1.jpg?width=400" width="400" class="align-center" alt="Crisis-Management-and-Leadership-Training.Tony-Ridley.03-copy1.jpg?width=400" /></a></strong></p><p style="text-align:left;"><strong><a href="http://crisismanagement.tony-ridley.com/crisis-management-and-leadership-online-video-training" target="_blank">Click Here</a></strong></p><p>Exclusive, professional video training series includes over four and a half hours of content. Resulting from years of experience, writing, leading and managing crisis management teams, I have put together this unique training package covering all the essential elements of effective crisis leadership and management.</p><p>The video training includes:</p><div style="margin-left:2em;" class="custom Check1green"><ul><li>The fundamentals of crisis management</li><li>An introduction to the essential success factors for superior crisis management results</li><li>The destinations between crisis leadership and crisis management</li><li>Crisis communications</li><li>Roles and responsibilities of key appointments</li><li>Priority decision making</li><li>Briefings and guidance for crisis leaders</li><li>Information collection</li><li>Crisis management plans</li><li>Business continuity and reliance integration</li><li>Content publication</li><li>Open source intelligence</li><li>Goals and performance management</li><li>Metrics</li><li>Systems based approaches</li><li>Warning indicators and triggers for crisis management</li><li>Stakeholder analysis</li><li>Risk based decision making, and</li><li>Numerous tips, advice and direction on how to improve or construct the best crisis management strategy</li></ul></div><p><strong><a href="http://crisismanagement.tony-ridley.com/crisis-management-and-leadership-online-video-training" target="_blank">Click Here</a></strong></p><p><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/b5IIGydqOEY?wmode=opaque" frameborder="0"></iframe></p></div>70 Travel Risk Management Safety and Security Tips [Video]https://globalriskcommunity.com/profiles/blogs/70-travel-risk-management-safety-and-security-tips-video2013-01-17T20:30:00.000Z2013-01-17T20:30:00.000ZTony Ridleyhttps://globalriskcommunity.com/members/TonyRidley<div><p style="text-align:center;"><span style="color:#000080;"><strong>70 Travel Risk Management Safety and Security Tips [Video]</strong></span></p><p><a href="http://travelriskmanagementsolutions.com/videos/70-travel-risk-management-safety-and-security-tips-video" target="_blank"><img src="http://travelriskmanagementsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Travel-Risk-Management-Safety-and-Security-Tips.Image_.Tony-Ridley.95.png?width=400" width="400" class="align-center" alt="Travel-Risk-Management-Safety-and-Security-Tips.Image_.Tony-Ridley.95.png?width=400" /></a></p><p></p><p>All travel should be considered hazardous, until proven otherwise. This <a href="http://travelriskmanagementsolutions.com/videos/70-travel-risk-management-safety-and-security-tips-video" target="_blank">70 travel risk management video</a> set provides professional tips and advice on how to manage the threats and hazards of travel.</p><p>Ranging from the administrative processes to extreme events such as natural disasters each video is a short 2-5 minute education tutorial that will assist in reducing the risk of travel, anywhere you travel.</p><p>You will receive a unique, informative video each day in your inbox. Just like having a professional chat or mentoring session each day over coffee.</p><p><strong><a href="http://travelriskmanagementsolutions.com/videos/70-travel-risk-management-safety-and-security-tips-video" target="_blank">Click Here</a></strong></p><p>The education tips and tutorials will include:</p><div style="margin-left:2em;" class="custom blue-check-4"><ul><li>Health and safety advice</li><li>Security and risk management strategies</li><li>Personal travel tips</li><li>Systems and procedures</li><li>Executive protection</li><li>Cost efficiencies</li><li>Emergencies and priority travel incidents</li><li>Travel management enhancements</li><li>Business and leisure travel threats and hazards</li><li>Human resources optimisation</li><li>Hotels, airlines and public transport</li><li>Travel insurance</li><li>Location information and intelligence</li><li>Membership and subscription services</li><li>Hazard identification and countermeasures</li></ul></div><p><strong><a href="http://travelriskmanagementsolutions.com/videos/70-travel-risk-management-safety-and-security-tips-video" target="_blank">Click Here</a></strong></p><p><a href="http://travelriskmanagementsolutions.com/videos/70-travel-risk-management-safety-and-security-tips-video" target="_blank"> </a></p></div>Why the London riots created a greater business travel threat than a terrorist attackhttps://globalriskcommunity.com/profiles/blogs/why-the-london-riots-created-a-greater-business-travel-threat2011-08-11T14:57:07.000Z2011-08-11T14:57:07.000ZTony Ridleyhttps://globalriskcommunity.com/members/TonyRidley<div><p><b>Why the London riots created a greater business travel threat than a terrorist attack</b></p><p> </p><p><b>Introduction to the London riots business travel threat</b></p><p>If you have business travel to London, you need to read this article. In this article you will discover why the London riots created a greater business travel threat than a terrorist attack. We will examine the threat posed by the London riots and demonstrations, terrorist attacks and resulting travel delays, disruptions and changes. At the end of this article, you will have a specific understanding of the required business travel management response and awareness as to why this will happen again.</p><p>The <b>London riots</b> and demonstrations has resulted in one of the largest business travel disruptions of 2011.</p><p><b>London Riots and Demonstrations</b></p><p> </p><p>The London riots and demonstrations have come as a complete surprise to many. It is not a unique event and certainly not unique to the UK. The scale, violence, fire and failure of the authorities is often something expected in other countries but the lack of preparedness for destinations like the UK is common and widespread. Therefore, the lack of preparedness and last minute scramble to respond and the inability to avoid major business travel disruptions are widespread as a result.</p><p>Due to the footprint of disruption, many routes and modes of transport have been negatively affected. Simple commute from the airport, trains and ports to planned accommodation options have been altered and continuous review of hazard or threat assessment are required. Furthermore, travel support providers such as taxis, hotels, restaurants, emergency services an other basic amenities have also been affected, to varying degrees.</p><p><b>Travel and risk managers need to immediately identify:</b></p><p> </p><p>London Riots Business Travel Threat</p><ul><li>Affected areas,</li><li>Degree of threat,</li><li>Affected and exposed (inbound and outbound) business travellers,</li><li>Arrival/departure points,</li><li>Safe and non-affected areas,</li><li>Mitigation or eradication options,</li><li>Cost of implementation,</li><li>Funds available,</li><li>Emergency support,</li><li>Accommodation options,</li><li>On-going or developing events,</li><li>Social or non-business activity,</li><li>Insurance claims and compliance requirements,</li><li>Cancellation criteria,</li><li>Resumption of travel criteria,</li><li>Extended event plans,</li><li>Travel alternatives (domestic and international)</li></ul><p> <a target="_blank" href="http://tony-ridley.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/London-riots.travel-risk-management.Tony-Ridley.jpg"><img class="align-right" src="http://tony-ridley.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/London-riots.travel-risk-management.Tony-Ridley.jpg" alt="London-riots.travel-risk-management.Tony-Ridley.jpg" /></a></p><p>The London riots have affected multiple support systems related to business and leisure travel. Any leisure travel disruptions will further compound business travel threats such as decreased accommodation options, airport congestion and increased public transport demand. Even simple actions like withdrawing money from an ATM will prove a challenge and compound the hazard/s.</p><p>The London riots have had a prolonged affect on UK business travel sector, far greater than the majority of terrorist attacks. Further affects such as planning and preparation for the 2012 Olympics will also contribute to the lingering affects.</p><p>A lack of planning and subsequent response capability by businesses could constitute a failure of duty of care, due diligence, corporate social responsibility, workplace health and safety or other related legislation.</p><p><b>Terrorist attacks less of a business travel threat than London riots</b></p><p>With the exception of the Mumbai terrorist attacks, most have limited business travel disruption and only affect a narrow band of business travellers. Inclusive of the Mumbai terror attack, terrorist attacks typically have clearly defined threat elements (terrorist, bombings, gunfire, etc) whereas the London riots is a constantly changing and unclear threat. Most business travellers will be unprepared for such decision making demands and lack sufficient experience to make consistent and safe decisions.</p><p>Most contemporary business travel risk management systems focus on location and plausible event threats, then seek to inform or prepare travellers for the best results to mitigate or eliminate the hazards and threats. Therefore, the bulk of business travellers will not be prepared or educated on how to respond in London, with such wide spread disruption and threats. Few will have residual knowledge from information and preparation for such events in other locations, considered more likely to be medium to high risk. Many of the supporting business travel management departments and managers will be equally unprepared and resourced.</p><p>A terrorist attack and other similar violent crimes would have a much smaller footprint of disruption, not affected such a wide business travel demographic, not affect business travel support providers so comprehensively or have such a prolonged impact on all exposed.</p><p>Routine travel delays, disruptions and changes represent one of the most persistent and probable travel risk management issues.</p><p><b>Travel delay, disruption and changes</b></p><p>Change management and the decision making involved is one of the most commonly accepted workplace hazard concerns. This is equally relevant to business travel and business travel threats.</p><p>The instinctive and guided response of business travellers to any delay, disruption or change can significantly affect the outcome of any spontaneous or new hazard as it presents. Particularly when this is the first level of response, before support options and resources can be activated or come into affect.</p><p>Travel delays have been triggered due to airport and airline workers unable to get to work, taxi drivers not able to refuel vehicles, hotels and staff overwhelmed, business travellers unprepared and convergence of business and leisure travellers upon all available exit travel nodes.</p><p>Access to information, at all levels, the ability to consume and process all the options and explore alternatives is imperative in this and similar travel disruption events. Crisis leadership will succeed more frequently than simple crisis management, to which are dependent upon timely and accurate information from all available resources.</p><p>Unfortunately, many will fail to fully understand the gravity of the events, the threats posed and respond or prepare accordingly. While many others exposed will chalk it up to another force majeure or random act that is just part of the rich experience of international travel. Courts, business travellers and peer review increasingly do not share this flippant view.</p><p>This scenario and lack of preparedness has been played out numerous times in recent history. Volcanos, volcanic ash affects, Japan’s tsunami, airport closures, airline failure and many others have caught business travellers and managers alike unprepared. This disturbing trend will continue.</p><p><b>Conclusion: London riots business travel threat</b></p><p> </p><p>You should now see why the London riots have a far greater impact and threat to business travellers than you may have originally thought. We have examined the business travel threat posed by the London riots, terrorist attacks and resulting travel delays. You now have a specific plan for this and similar events and the required business travel management and response. This will happen again. Perhaps not in London, perhaps not a city wide demonstration but this kind and scale of business travel disruption event will happen more than once before the end of 2011. Review your plan and make the necessary enhancements now.</p><p>Why the London riots created a greater business travel threat than a terrorist attack</p><p><a href="http://tony-ridley.com/">Tony Ridley</a></p></div>7 reasons why the Japan tsunami has created a much greater disaster than the initial earthquakehttps://globalriskcommunity.com/profiles/blogs/7-reasons-why-the-japan2011-03-27T08:34:39.000Z2011-03-27T08:34:39.000ZTony Ridleyhttps://globalriskcommunity.com/members/TonyRidley<div><p><strong>Introduction</strong></p><p>If you want to know why the Japan tsunami turned into a far greater disaster than the initial earthquake and learn the 7 main reasons for this calamity, then read on. In this article we will touch on the government, closed cultures, leadership vacuum, system failures and Japanese crisis management, timing and information practices.<a target="_blank" href="http://tony-ridley.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Japan-tsunami.Crisis-Management.Tony-Ridley.jpg"><img class="align-right" width="300" src="http://tony-ridley.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Japan-tsunami.Crisis-Management.Tony-Ridley-300x300.jpg?width=300" alt="Japan-tsunami.Crisis-Management.Tony-Ridley-300x300.jpg?width=300" /></a></p><p>By the end of this article you will have the information to act in a much more decisive manner during the next similar crisis or immediately review your crisis and continuity plans involving Japan.</p><p><strong>Government</strong></p><p>The Japanese government and political leadership has been in constant turmoil for the past few years, with regular scandals and changes. This constant change and lack of continuity has resulted in each successive party’s rebirth and having to learn “on the job” without a clear political vision. Lack of experience in power coupled with perpetual flux for all government employees and agencies results in limited growth, development and the absence of clear leadership. This is not the type of situation you want during great times of disaster but the current situation Japan has, on top of the natural calamity, and it has been a major contributor to the compounding problems and lack of appropriate action at all stages. This was both foreseeable and likely.</p><p>Many public utilities are privately owned and have enjoyed limited government oversight or interference. The government is all but powerless to correct the lack of oversight and accountability at this late stage and are dependent on the private companies for all the decision and action taking. For reasons mentioned further on, this is perfect storm of failure in the making.</p><p>Japanese governance is an extension of norms and culture, which have created this malaise.</p><p><strong>Culture</strong></p><p>Most will be aware that the Japanese culture and sense of community is very unique in many ways. However, with nearly 25% of the population over 65, growing generational gaps, history and habit of covering up the truth in order to save face, lack of leadership at all functional levels and a group culture of sufferance and stoic resolve in the face of adversity do not strengthen the county or business sectors capacity to plan, manage and respond to crisis. In weakens it.</p><p>Internationally, Japanese executives and companies are known for their lack of crisis management plans and decision making. The country and national businesses have enjoyed fantastic economic success and have never seen the need to change or evolve without the pressure of failure or the demand to innovate. This is significantly more so within the ranks of Japanese government agencies. Therefore, they have not embraced or implemented current competencies for crisis management as they have not seen the “need”.</p><p>Culture often determines the strengths and weaknesses of the planning process but it must be assessed objectively as culture is the one common element to all societies, locations and plans.</p><p><strong>Crisis Management Preparedness</strong></p><p>The evolution of crisis management and disaster prevention has been accelerated by the acknowledgment that while their may be “acts of god” there is much man can do to plan, manage and respond to such acts without a spiritual belief that one must simply accept ones’ fate. This is not the case with much of Japan’s executive leadership. Therefore they fail to plan for many natural disasters in an adequate and holistic manner. Most Japanese simply accept disaster, whether secular or religious.</p><p>One statement summed up the issue by stating “they had no crisis management because they were never ready for crisis”.</p><p>Most companies and foreigners in Japan have failed to understand or mitigate against this reality which has left them very vulnerable and greatly affected.</p><p>Despite the “first world” label applied to Japan, many parts of the country are still less advanced and from the perspective of a foreigner, signs, language, decision making and government services are still very exclusively “Japanese access” preferred. In time of disaster, access and benefit from any internal resource is further diminished.</p><p>I have said before, crisis leadership is always preferable to crisis management but an absence of leadership can be deadly.</p><p><strong>Leadership Vacuum</strong></p><p>Only the elderly and senior management are permitted to make decisions. This may work in a functioning communications and repetitive work environment but not in a dynamic crisis situation or natural calamity. Lack of communication and a vacuum of independent thought and decision making have compounded the event beyond it’s initial occurrence.</p><p>No person is to blame for a natural disaster but each and everyone affected or responsible will be judged on how they manage and respond to such events. Most have been found wanting.</p><p>Leaders need information to act. You can act in the absence of information but continuos limitations on information and its impact create even more chaos and disaster.</p><p><strong>Information Access and Release</strong></p><p>Nearly all Japanese businesses and government agencies are very protective of information even secretive, especially around unpleasant or embarrassing information. Cover ups, information filtering, trickle release, lies and lack of understanding play a role and have been demonstrated throughout.</p><p>No one received accurate and truthful information as to the state of the affected nuclear plants. Only hindsight will reveal just how wide spread the issue was but it was predictable and evident from the beginning that it would be managed in this way.</p><p>Again, cultural trends indicate those responsible would rather fail outright, apologies later, cry in public or just fade away than accept responsibility now, act now and share all the facts and truth about the situation from the onset of disaster.</p><p>All plans and response are dependent on supporting systems. Lose one, lose them all and you need an alternate response in order to be effective.</p><p><strong>Systems Failure</strong></p><p>All the best plans and considerations are inclusive of single and multiple system failures. Not in Japan. Little to no consideration has been given to a series of system failures such as communications, transport, access, health care, utilities and food supplies. This is painfully evident and compounded the issues while most have only discovered this lack of planning and preparation, after the fact.</p><p><strong>Timing</strong></p><p>Disasters and crisis seldom occur at a time of your choosing. Planning, training, rehearsals and response all need to be inclusive of the “worst possible time” concept. Weather has played a significant role in this calamity and it’s painfully evident that all supporting plans (as limited as we now know) clearly did not encompass the foreseeable and historical bad weather patterns experienced in Japan. Rain, hail, sleet and snow all have an impact on the response to an earthquake, fire, tsunami and flood. Sometimes positively but also negatively.</p><p>Here we have seen a lack of preparation, triggered at the worst possible time, creating the mess that has affected millions of citizens, residents, expatriates, companies and travellers.</p><p><strong>Conclusion</strong></p><p>Japan and the Japanese people are not blame for this natural calamity but their culture and unique circumstances have compounded the response and increased suffering.</p><p>Any company or foreigner “caught out” by this phenomena has failed to localize their plans, management and response to crisis. These oversights have resulted in poor accountability for missing people, delayed decision making, failed plans, over confidence in government advice, diminished ownership/action by companies along with heightened risk to those affected.</p><p>Now that you understand the additional factors contributing to this particular calamity such as government, culture, timing, leadership, management, information and system failures you can immediately correct your errors or fix the flaws in your current plans.</p><p>Condolences to those affected by this recent tragedy but lack of planning and preparation is no excuse when faced with foreseeable and likely crisis, no matter the source.</p><p><a href="http://tony-ridley.com/">Tony Ridley</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p><a target="_blank" href="http://tony-ridley.com/2011/03/19/7-reasons-why-the-japan-tsunami-has-created-a-much-greater-disaster-than-the-initial-earthquake/">Tony Ridley's blog</a></p></div>Travel Risk Management: Are you ready for a crisis?https://globalriskcommunity.com/profiles/blogs/travel-risk-management-are-you2011-03-11T20:27:58.000Z2011-03-11T20:27:58.000ZTony Ridleyhttps://globalriskcommunity.com/members/TonyRidley<div><h1><span class="font-size-7"><strong><span style="font-size:13px;">Managing Business Travel Risks and Crisis</span></strong></span></h1><h2>Introduction</h2><p>If you know that business travel is not without its risk and the potential for crisis, then you need to read this article.<a target="_blank" href="http://tony-ridley.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/build_puzzle_bridge_pc_400_clr-300x182.png"><img class="align-right" width="300" src="http://tony-ridley.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/build_puzzle_bridge_pc_400_clr-300x182.png?width=300" alt="build_puzzle_bridge_pc_400_clr-300x182.png?width=300" /></a></p><p><br />In this article we are going to talk about the management and containment of crisis as it relates to travellers and travel managers.<br />The objective of this article is to share with you the collective knowledge on managing crisis and significantly improve your ability to identify and manage a crisis but also improve your business travel efficiency.<br />The first thing we should cover, who is Tony Ridley?<br />Well I have directed and managed numerous critical events for companies such as the Bali bombings, Mumbai terror attacks, Sichuan quake and Thailand airport closure. I have multiple articles published on the subject of travel risk management and I’m a regular presenter on the issue.</p><p> </p><p>During this article I am going to discuss travel risk myths, crisis management, plans and options so you can immediately compare or improve your own travel risk management system for your travellers or travel management department.</p><p>Crisis by definition is something you didn’t have a plan for or something in which you are unprepared. Additionally, it can be a series of events that in concert create a crisis.</p><p>Events or issues that occur, to which you have a plan and strategy, is merely an incident.</p><h2>Crisis Management/Leadership</h2><p>The first thing is to clarify what is the difference between crisis management and leadership. More importantly, which one is the more important?<br />Crisis management relates to the response to event/s that threaten your business, travellers or travel activity. The event leads and you follow with plans, decisions and actions.<br />Crisis leadership, on the other hand, is more about getting ahead of the events and issues to prevent, management and even contain the impact to your business or business travel activities. While management is a portion of the leadership demand, your actions and involvement lead the outcomes rather than a more passive wait and act approach with pure crisis management.<br />Crisis leadership is the less practiced of the two, but the most significant in terms of results and reduction in risk and impact.<br />If you take nothing else away from this session, it should be that your focus should always be on Crisis Leadership, not crisis management.</p><p><br /><span class="font-size-6"><strong>Myths</strong></span></p><p><br />There are many myths and half-truths about crisis, disruption and threats within the travel management sector. Much of this misinformation has originated from travellers themselves, media, travel managers, friends and family or so called “experts”.</p><p><br />For example, many travellers and planners are focused on terrorism. The reality is, you have a very, very small chance of being exposed or affected directly by a terrorist act. It doesn’t mean you should discount it as a threat altogether but it shouldn’t dominate your plans or processes if not a proportional threat to you and your travellers. Conversely, almost everyone overlooks motor vehicle accidents. Yet, they happen far more frequently, can have devastating affect on travellers and are the least common plan contained within company travel management departments.</p><p><br />Travellers and travel managers must be prepared, educated and have supporting plans for any event that has the potential to delay, disrupt or harm the traveller or the business.<br />The most common events include:</p><ul><li>Motor vehicle accidents</li><li>Airline delays or cancellations</li><li>Airport closures or disruptions</li><li>Transport delays</li><li>Bad weather</li><li>Sickness and illness</li><li>Petty crimes</li><li>Hotel fires</li><li>Political disputes</li><li>Demonstrations and gatherings</li></ul><p><strong>Motor vehicle accidents</strong> within your own country can be stressful and dangerous but on an overseas business trip they can be 100 times more challenging and dangerous. Consider language, local authorities, first responder, standard of healthcare, families and support in your plans and initial response.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Airline delays and cancelations.</strong> They happen all the time but they are not just an administrative response. You may need to consider safety, transport, quarantines, security threats, government response and wide spread suspension of services to overcome the issue and maintain safety of your travellers.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Airport closures or disruptions</strong>. Failed systems, electrical problems, threats, weather, construction and so on can prevent you even getting to your flight. Consider the impact this has on your plans and how your traveller will need to possibly extend stay, move to alternate airport or find accommodation.<br />All other <strong>transport delays and disruptions</strong> can create crisis when everyone no longer has access to trains, buses, key roads or even water transport. Have a plan and add it to your immediate decision making process.</p><p> </p><p>2010 and the commencement of 2011 has seen travel of all kind affected by <strong>natural disasters and weather</strong>. Weather and natural forces have and always will impact travellers. It does and will continue to occur. It is highly concerning how unprepared travellers and companies are for volcanic eruptions, typhoons, floods, earthquakes and general bad weather.</p><p><br /><strong>People</strong> get sick or feel unwell all the time. This is compounded significantly when travelling. Standard of care, language, access, cost, complications, choice and numerous other location based concerns will determine just how at risk your traveller will be. A single, “one-size-fits-all” plan or solution will fail and you need to be aware of these issues immediately with the onset of an affected traveller.</p><p><br /><strong>Crimes</strong> are a reality of any city in the world. However, travellers seldom know the risks and may be preyed upon by thieves and criminals. The loss of phones, money, and other items may seem less likely to constitute a crisis but when overseas, injured or not able to speak the local language, all these simple events can create a major concern for your business travellers. This can be amplified if you have a senior executive or a group of executives affected.</p><p><br /><strong>Hotel fires</strong> and emergencies are more common than most people think. The immediate threat to an individual is fairly obvious but the impact that the lack of accommodation choices can create from the temporary or permanent closure of a hotel is a much bigger concern. This was graphically displayed during the Mumbai terror attacks (as extra ordinary as the event was) when most of the best/preferred hotels were now unavailable in a key part of the city. This removed thousands of rooms for business travellers and forced many to cancel or significantly alter travel plans just because there were a lack of suitable accommodation options, whether affected by the events or not.</p><p><br />Any event that alters the <strong>political stability</strong> of a location or region or results in thousands of people out on the streets constitutes a risk to your business travel plans and travellers. They can happen spontaneously or take time to develop. The immediate dangers and the ongoing disruption can have a major impact on your business or traveller. Again, plans, preparation and thought to these issues will greatly reduce the impact and improve your business too.</p><p><br />Now that we have removed the most common misconceptions, let’s focus on the management and containment of a crisis.</p><h2><strong>Crisis management</strong></h2><p>The key to successful crisis management is planning, training, plans, decision-making and adaptability.</p><h2>Planning</h2><p>Given the issues previously covered, you now have a better insight into how and why planning is important to remove the more emotive issues from the realities of real business threats and events.</p><p><br />Planning needs to include multiple departments and perspectives to be truly effective. One of the greatest weaknesses I see regularly is that departments continue to manage the risk of travel through multiple departments with multiple plans. The input and plan needs to be unified. Depending on the company, it may include travel managers, security, HR, finance, marketing, C-suite and operations.</p><p><br />All plans need to be continuously updated, location specific, aide in the decision-making process and modular enough have elements extracted quickly and effectively.</p><p><br />Modern, effective plans embrace technology. Rapid, efficient access to information, along with running updates is the hallmarks of a modern sustainable plan, regardless of the size of the issue or the company.</p><h2>Training</h2><p>No plan is effective without training and rehearsal. Training, whether through simulations, drills or live, full-scale exercises are vital to the success of any crisis situation. Such sessions don’t need to be boring or overly complicated but must include travel managers and planners along with the more common crisis and emergency managers.</p><p><br />Increasingly, training is becoming a mandatory requirement for key positions and roles. It can be linked to internal HR processes but must support the business objectives and measurable on how it reduces the risk to people, business, brand and travel demands.</p><p><br />While the plan creates the framework for crisis decision-making, teams can learn a lot from training on how and when to adapt their plans. How the team interacts, strength, weakness, leaders, followers, limitations, tools and many more planned and surprise outcomes are possible with effective training.</p><h2>Adaptations</h2><p>No plan will completely script all the events, issues and options available for every plausible travel delay, disruption or crisis. You need to be able to adapt and evolve from the original plan and intention. This can only be achieved with planning, plans and training.</p><h2>Solutions</h2><p>So what do I need in my plan? Here is the best travel risk management content for your plan:</p><p> </p><ul><li>Objective(the single most important part of any travel policy)</li><li>References</li><li>Scope</li><li>Legal</li><li>Insurance</li><li>Finance</li><li>Reimbursements</li><li>Limits</li><li>Priority/precedence</li><li>Management Authority/ies</li><li>Situations</li><li>Procedure will likely cover:</li><li>Planning Resources</li><li>Tools</li><li>Authority</li><li>Executive</li><li>Decision making</li><li>Limits</li><li>Budgets</li><li>Training</li><li>Compliance</li><li>Pre-trip admin</li><li>Providers</li><li>Booking</li><li>Accommodation</li><li>Airlines</li><li>Ground Transport</li><li>Safety and Security</li><li>Health and wellness</li><li>Emergency</li><li>SOP/Actions on</li><li>Insurance</li><li>Travel Monitoring /tracking</li><li>Reporting</li><li>HR</li><li>Entitlements</li><li>Threat/risk levels</li><li>Shelter in Place</li><li>Relocations/evacuations</li><li>Management Authority Review</li><li>Don’t forget your risk assessment will need to include the key elements:</li><li>Traveller Location</li><li>Activity</li><li>Support/Resources</li><li>Response</li></ul><h2>Conclusion</h2><p>There you have it. Now you know what is required, how do you rate your current plans and preparedness?<br />You now have the most relevant issues and areas to focus upon that will reduce or contain the majority of incidents you may face your travellers will be safer, your business more profitable and your costs will be contained by reducing your exposure to expensive crisis events.</p><p><br />We have debunked popular travel threat myths, identified the difference between crisis management and leadership, outlined plans and options so you can immediately compare or improve your own travel risk management system for your travellers or travel management department.<br />Review your plans and make the immediate improvements.</p><p><br />You will know when you have an effective crisis management system for your travel risk management strategy when you have little to no crisis. You may have numerous events or incidents but you have a plan, you’re prepared and your decision making is fast and consistent. If not, you have failed and you will run from crisis to crisis on a regular basis.</p><a target="_blank" href="http://tony-ridley.com/">Tony Ridley</a></div>Crisis Leadership is better than Crisis Managementhttps://globalriskcommunity.com/profiles/blogs/crisis-leadership-is-better2011-02-20T22:00:00.000Z2011-02-20T22:00:00.000ZTony Ridleyhttps://globalriskcommunity.com/members/TonyRidley<div><h1>The Golden Hour and the First 24 Hours!</h1><p>In the vast majority of cases, regardless of the duration, the end success or successful resolution to a crisis is determined by the initial actions in the first 24 hours. Often referred to as the “Golden Hour” in emergency medicine, the initial hour of the first 24 hours is the foundation upon which the primary phase is predicated. The events, information and decision making process during these two phases will place both individuals and multi national corporations upon a path that will over time will provide less opportunity for change and influence than at this juncture.</p><p> </p><p>While the incidents and information injects, whether actively or passively collected, may change, the fundamental decision making methodology will remain relatively constant due to the leader or crisis management teams experience, skills and training. It is for this reason that the greatest emphasis due to the potential outcomes remains the burden of those in a position to determine the outcomes.<a href="http://tony-ridley.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/gold_key_pc_400_clr.png"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1553" title="Crisis Leadership-The Key to Success" src="http://tony-ridley.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/gold_key_pc_400_clr-132x300.png" width="132" height="300" alt="gold_key_pc_400_clr-132x300.png" /></a></p><p>In broad terms, individual entities or multi-dimensional companies are classified into two categories when managing a crisis or significant event. The first of those categories is that of the Responder who is largely driven by the events and is forced to react to each and every information inject or demand due to the absence of preparation and planning joined with the lack or limitation on resources. The second of these two categories, and the most desired, is that to the Implementer who is characterized by the ability to activate resources and follow a pre-prepared and trained plan with the support of an array of supporting stakeholders, constructed responses and proactively formulated decision making guidelines that reduce the time from event to response.</p><p> </p><p>The Implementer would typically be equally experienced as they are trained with significantly more emphasis on the latter. The primary and secondary phases of the first 24 hours will see the Responder desperately attempting to understand the situation, often with limited redundancy and support, while trying to time appropriate responses and activation of resources with little understanding of the strategic goals or longer term effects of these crucial decisions. This will be further exacerbated by the lack of experience or knowledge on the time taken to implement plans and the activation of vital resources.</p><p> </p><p>In contrast, the Responder during the primary and secondary phases will be aligning support plans and stakeholders with preferred outcomes and anticipating events to potentially mitigate escalation of the situation or becoming reactionary focused. Typically the Implementer will seek to maintain a rapid escalation of support elements and appropriate resources with the option to then gradually deescalate or stand-down a range of options appropriate to the incident once they have sufficient control of information that the situation does not warrant the engagement of such resources or services.</p><p> </p><p>History and more contemporary times are littered with examples whereby Government Leaders, Military Commanders, Corporate Leaders, Community Leaders and the like have failed to identify the impact of the events or incidents that have ultimately lead to an apparent disproportional result. Their failure or lack of appropriate response, relative to the potential impact and not necessarily the current information or perception, has lead to dire strategic consequences. As a result, it is these initial tactile decisions and responses that can in all likelihood determine the eventual outcome, favorable or otherwise.</p><p> </p><p>The Golden Hour in medical terms is the most crucial time in which to both stabilize a patient suffering from significant injury or illness and to determine the best course of action in order to provide them with the most appropriate form of medical care supported by adequate resources. This decision making process is often done in remote locations, at the scene of an accident or within the emergency rooms of the nearest treatment facility. While this reference is centered more towards an individual or groups affected by such events the process and outcomes are indicative of the interaction it has with all the stakeholders affected and the commonalities faced by business in general.</p><p> </p><p>Firstly, the affected parties may well be key elements to an organization or business that is dependant upon their contribution and will undoubtedly respond with all available resource for both the preservation of life and the continuity of business. Secondly, the process for escalation and decision making, including the activation of services and resources, will be made in the absence of a technical expert such as a doctor. As is the case with almost all business crisis in the initial stages. Even then, the measure to which any trained and experienced expert pertaining to crisis management will be limited to a large degree by the actions of the first responders and their support resources.</p><p> </p><p>Tactile and spontaneous decisions made in the immediate stages of a developing incident that could lead to a crisis or disaster event have strategic consequences. These consequences may not affect an immediate impact but overtime could overshadow the incident itself. For instance, the decision to act in the absence of consultation or verification could result in legal, compliance, ethical, morale, code of conduct, medical or criminal violations to which the parent organization will be responsible, or held to account, for the actions of one or more responders. Irrespective of the fact that the decision at the time may have in fact saved lives, prevented further disasters or simply maintained business continuity the strategic consequence could be just the opposite.</p><p> </p><p>While it is neither effective nor possible to script every potential incident and provide policy and processes to support such events, especially in the event of crisis, it can go a long way to mitigate many of the aforementioned issues and negative impacts. Even if during the post incident autopsy it is confirmed that a sound and consistent decision making process was employed with an appropriate degree of accountability and supported resources but ended in a less than favorable outcome, it will hold the organization and the individuals in far greater stead to know they did their utmost at the time but the situation was not recoverable despite best efforts and planning than to have made spontaneous decisions and decrees on the fly.</p><p> </p><p>Enabling first responders, supervisors and crisis management elements to draw upon the collective knowledge of their peers and industry experts, with pretreated plans, budgets and designated resources appropriate to the risk and potential impact will significantly reduce the time from incident to response and prove to be a better overall strategy for the management of limited and significant crisis events. These plans should be both comprehensive and accessible to those that require access it but also simplified for immediate reference and implementation. This is equally applicable to any support services or resources that may be required in the event of particular incidents. Should partial or full responsibility of supporting this process be apportioned to external agencies or third party providers then they in turn should be equally if not more prepared for their roles and responsibilities. Sadly, all this amounts to nothing if the plan is not widely disseminated, trained and rehearsed with a degree of regularity to account for changing circumstances and new talent and roles.</p><p> </p><p>While crisis management is often discussed and held up as the benchmark of preparedness and effectiveness, this is essentially still the realm of the Responder. In order to manage a crisis there is a disproportionate amount of time spent waiting for information injects, set circumstances, triggers and qualifying actions before implementing a plan that is known to be in existence and its results determined by the measure of its application. Crisis leadership is the true virtue of the Implementer. By proactively assessing events and mobilizing resources and the means in which to act before the situation demands, reduces the timeline of impact and in most cases reduces the overall affect the event/s may have on an organization and its personnel. It is often a far more cost effective application of resources also.</p><p> </p><p>In the modern and developing business world there is simply more information and access to information than ever before. While this has lead to many efficiencies and advancements it has not advanced the capacity or effectiveness of crisis management elements at a comparable rate. If this were the case we would incur little to no crisis events and very incidents affecting organization and their personnel would ever need be reported in the media. Effective crisis leadership is learned by training and exposure with sufficient support services and resources. The critical time in which to apply this talent however remains the same, the Golden Hour and the first 24 hours. No amount of preparation and weighty plans will resolve undesirable events in the advanced stages as a direct result of poor leadership and management in the primary phases. It is therefore of paramount importance adequate depth, training and resourcing be focused on this pivotal stage.</p></div>The truth about government travel advisories, warnings and alertshttps://globalriskcommunity.com/profiles/blogs/the-truth-about-government2011-02-07T07:37:00.000Z2011-02-07T07:37:00.000ZTony Ridleyhttps://globalriskcommunity.com/members/TonyRidley<div><h1>The truth about government travel advisories, warnings and alerts</h1><p>If you’re like most people and you believe that government travel advisories, warning and alerts represent the most accurate advice for business travellers then you are terribly mistaken.</p><p> </p><p>Here are the key elements that all business travellers and travel managers need to know regarding the validity and application of government travel alerts and travel related advice. Knowing and understanding these few simple issues will save your company unnecessary travel delays and disruptions under almost any circumstance. The main points to always consider in the wake of a renewed or updated advisory, warning or alert is the target audience, specific government resources, commercial relevance and the avoidance of evacuation scenarios.<a href="http://tony-ridley.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/travel_alert_red_button_800_clr-11.png"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1474" title="Travel Alert, Travel Safe" src="http://tony-ridley.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/travel_alert_red_button_800_clr-11-300x262.png" width="300" height="262" alt="travel_alert_red_button_800_clr-11-300x262.png" /></a></p><p>The primary demographic for government advisories are first time travellers, backpackers, families and anyone else with little to no prior travelling experience and preparation or the lowest possible denominator. It is this group that governments aim their advice and analysis towards with the belief that if this group is adequately informed, then all remaining demographics will be covered. Unfortunately this results in an artificially low benchmark for all travellers not within this group.These other groups depend upon travel for business productivity, management and administration and the more likely to have their travel plans altered unnessesarily due to many government alerts. This is in part due to corporate risk avoidance (in the belief the government travel advisories are adequate) and insurance companies benchmarking many of their travel policy exclusions on that of government travel advice (again, in the belief the government are catering to their needs too). Unless you are a first time traveller, significantly inexperienced or lack appropriate business support while travelling, then the majority of government travel advice does not apply to you.</p><p> </p><p>Detailed examination of dedicated resources aimed at travel related advice and content typically reveals little more than a handful of “specific” resources. That is, someone or department dedicated solely to the collection, analysis and dissemination of commercially relevant travel advice. Most government resources are “shared” services when it comes to travel intelligence and advice with general non-government travel a very small increment of their overall mandate. Smaller countries have no dedicated resources and simply “share” the advice from coalition partners or more populace countries, further diluting the relevance to their citizens. Most continuous travel advisory services, provided by a government, are little more than a chronology of publicly available media updates. While resources are limited in the first instance, it is the lack of commercial experience that constitutes the greatest flaw to government travel advisories.</p><p> </p><p>What little resources there are that are aimed at travel intelligence typically lack any direct commercial experience. Therefore, all their apparent advice is predicated more on the interests of the government (resulting in censorship, omissions and politically correct publications) than that of any business sector or commercial demographic. When you have soldiers, government agents and police officers commenting on matters relating to commerce and business travel, you get little actionable advice due to their inability to put into commercial context the impact events may have from a purely commercial perspective rather than a transnational or political viewpoint.</p><p> </p><p>Behind closed doors, most governments admit they do not maintain nor posses the resources (assumed by most of their citizens) for large scale evacuations from any corner of the globe. Regrettably many travellers have grown to assume that complete failure to take responsibility for their own safety and security while travelling will always be compensated by the government’s ability to swoop in and save then if they should so choose. This is wrong and very dangerous for those with such a belief. For those governments that would even consider an evacuation of their nationals (not very many) they will often go to great lengths to advise their citizens to leave or make personal arrangements long before any government is forced into acting. Landing troops or foreign government elements in someone else’s country is always the choice of last resort and highly prone to complications, even if it were possible.</p><p> </p><p>Anything published by a government will always have the country’s national interests such as economy, trade and diplomatic relationships carefully considered before release. Anything that may threaten such strategic goals is likely to be withheld, including government travel advisories, warnings and alerts. Now that you understand the importance of being self sufficient and discerning when it comes to government travel advice you will waste less time placing priority on such updates and focus on more commercially relevant inputs. As a result, your company travel risk management process will be far more resilient and less impacted by the stop/start affect created by government updates, warnings and alerts. You may also now identify gaps that need to be filled by insufficient commercial content from government sources.</p><p> </p><p>Government travel advisories, warnings and alerts focus on the wrong target demographic, lack the appropriate resources, have little commercial relevance and seek to avoid last minute acts such as evacuations. Now that you too are aware of these limitations you should be better positioned to make business decisions in the wake of crisis, emergency and dynamic events that affect a location and your business travellers. Business travel risk management is a commercial process and can only be achieved with appropriate commercial products and services.</p><p> </p><p><a target="_blank" href="http://tony-ridley.com/">Tony Ridley's Website</a></p></div>Ashes in our mouths-How a volcano shed light on the true state of affairs in corporate travel risk managementhttps://globalriskcommunity.com/profiles/blogs/ashes-in-our-mouthshow-a2010-12-28T22:28:01.000Z2010-12-28T22:28:01.000ZTony Ridleyhttps://globalriskcommunity.com/members/TonyRidley<div><p><a target="_blank" href="http://tony-ridley.com/2010/04/20/ashes-in-our-mouths-how-a-volcano-shed-light-on-the-true-state-of-affairs-in-corporate-travel-risk-management/">Tony Ridley</a></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family:Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;font-size:12px;color:#333333;line-height:16px;">Volcanos that erupt and disrupt the world’s travel plans don’t happen every day but travel disruptions and threats to travelers do. It often takes a dynamic or amplified event to display just how much planning and oversight goes into day-to-day risk management, in order to reveal just how ineffective the process may be overall.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;font-size:12px;color:#333333;line-height:16px;"><br />Travel buyers have admitted that the volcano eruption in Iceland has taken a substantial bite out of their 2010 travel budget, if a new survey is to be believed.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;font-size:12px;color:#333333;line-height:16px;"><br />Polling its international members, the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) found that some 71% of global travel buyers said the disruption in Europe has resulted in a “substantial” economic hit on their travel spend for the year. Of this 71%, 36% percent described the unanticipated expenses as “severe”. An additional 21% indicated the hit was slight, while 8% reported being unaffected.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;font-size:12px;color:#333333;line-height:16px;"><br />“It is important to note that the financial factors of this crisis have a special significance in the light of the fragile global economic recovery for business in general and business travel in particular,” said ACTE president Richard Crum. “If even just 1% of the industry’s financial contribution to the global economy were affected, that would equate to roughly 4 billion euros.”<br />Crum added that travel managers have been preparing for contagion, pandemic, conflict, war, and earthquakes for years. For many travelers, that level of preparedness was reflected in their corporate response to the eruptions in Iceland. Forty-seven percent of companies responding to the ACTE survey had a plan in place to accommodate stranded travelers. Twenty-nine percent did not have a specific program for this crisis, but moved forward with implementing one cobbled from other crisis programs. Twenty-five percent believe this crisis is so extraordinary and rare, that no preparation could have dealt with these developments and have no immediate intentions to change their policies.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;font-size:12px;color:#333333;line-height:16px;"><br />The unanticipated expense of the crisis has already taken a big bite out of existing travel budgets for 2010, but survey respondents believe the crisis would not force the company to travel less in 2010 (76%). Twenty-two percent were unsure as the crisis is ongoing and 2% said yes.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;font-size:12px;color:#333333;line-height:16px;"><br />Stories continue to emerge of how travelers and companies have been forced to sleep in airport terminals, pay thousands of dollars for taxi rides across countries or cancel major business activities, all the while suffering substantial productivity losses of some of their company’s most valuable human resource group. It is not acceptable that company travelers be subjected to the same limited response or emergency interventions as your everyday tourists, in the event of such wide spread disruptions. If you have been significantly affected, you have failed and your system just doesn’t work.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;font-size:12px;color:#333333;line-height:16px;"><br />Poor surveillance of developing events, superficial plans and even less effective decision making methodologies reduce workable response options; if any exist after such systemic failure. Failure to identify and plan for whole-of-journey risk management leads to situations where your traveler/s is stranded in transit without a valid visa forcing them to sleep en mass in terminals with limited solutions. Similar oversights lead to false hopes that the situation will correct itself and “anytime soon” everything will be okay. After all this, if you believe that the overall situation will return to normal and you and your travelers will be on their way immediately after the airspace ban has been lifted, again; you’re in for a nasty shock.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;font-size:12px;color:#333333;line-height:16px;"><br />Numerous managers and travelers now understand the various roles required to achieve productive, efficient and safe travel management. Your insurance company is more than capable, and perhaps willing, to process your claim for losses and expenditure incurred but you are still stuck at the airport without a workable solution and suffering a major loss in productivity for those that are typically within the top 20% of your human capital earning (compensation and business contribution) demographic. Your cheque will arrive in the mail and tangible loss/expenditure compensated. It still doesn’t get you from A to B or even via D. Your local office or contacts don’t possess the network or experience to manage your requirements, especially when the rest of the world is scrambling for the same resources. Those without wild stories of adventure to relate after this event are not inclusive of a well thought out plan and capacity to act. Those with a more boring story to tell but maintained productivity and contained costs, all the while preserving the safety of their people, have in their team brokers, insurance, travel management companies and assistance. Which is the smarter business option?</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;font-size:12px;color:#333333;line-height:16px;"><br />Total failure resulting in numerous stranded people are the result of high walled departments without collaboration. Lack of unification and leadership/ownership in the practice of travel risk management has lead to wide spread helplessness and stranding. If you have key executives traveling for leisure also affected that will prevent them returning to work as scheduled, you have yourself to blame and your appreciation has proven to be too shallow.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;font-size:12px;color:#333333;line-height:16px;"><br />This is not over. Hotels are likely to default on bookings for pending travel as they still haven’t been able to clear the backlog of stranded travelers. Ground transport will be stretched and prices will rise even further. Government departments will debate the options but essentially there is nothing you can do to influence their inconsistent influence. Airlines will be pressured into economic decisions long before safety data is consolidated or examined under normal parameters. The thousands of inbound and outbound travellers will take much longer than a few days to clear, not forgetting those adding to the mele than need/want to travel this week. Overtime payments, supplies of food and water to airports, cash reserves and transnational collaboration will all act upon the solutions and choices. It is one thing to read about this in the media but do you really have a handle on what is happening and how it affects you? Failure to do so will compound past mistakes too.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;font-size:12px;color:#333333;line-height:16px;"><br />There was adequate warning that this event would have far reaching implications. The impact could be calculated. There was opportunity to implement plans or develop an effective solution to support the objective and effective, rehearsed management teams would have had sufficient time to assess the impact and act accordingly. The final impact was not fate but determined by everything you have done to date. You have been weighed, you have been measured; have you been found wanting?</span></p></div>The Law of the Few: World Class Corporate Crisis and Communications Teamshttps://globalriskcommunity.com/profiles/blogs/the-law-of-the-few-world-class2010-08-01T09:32:58.000Z2010-08-01T09:32:58.000ZTony Ridleyhttps://globalriskcommunity.com/members/TonyRidley<div><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-family:Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;font-size:12px;line-height:20px;">Many companies navigate the routine complexity of business with adequate or acceptable managem</span></p><div id="attachment_141" class="wp-caption alignright" style="float:right;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-left:10px;background-color:rgb(245,245,245);text-align:center;padding-top:7px;padding-right:2px;padding-bottom:7px;padding-left:2px;border-top-width:1px;border-right-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;border-left-width:1px;border-top-style:solid;border-right-style:solid;border-bottom-style:solid;border-left-style:solid;border-top-color:rgb(228,228,228);border-right-color:rgb(228,228,228);border-bottom-color:rgb(228,228,228);border-left-color:rgb(228,228,228);width:266px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-family:Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;font-size:12px;line-height:20px;"><a href="http://tonyridley.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/connected-hands.png" style="color:rgb(0,141,207);text-decoration:none;"><img class="size-medium wp-image-141" title="Team Sport" src="http://tonyridley.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/connected-hands.png?w=256&h=300" alt="Team Sport" width="256" height="300" style="border-top-style:none;border-right-style:none;border-bottom-style:none;border-left-style:none;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;" /></a></span><p class="wp-caption-text" style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:5px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;font-size:11px;font-weight:normal;line-height:12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-family:Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;font-size:12px;line-height:20px;">Team Sport</span></p></div><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-family:Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;font-size:12px;line-height:20px;">ent, however it is the truly stellar company/s that excel not only on a routine basis but especially in times of crisis. It is select skills, experience and traits that are able to applied during times of critical decision-making that separate them from the herd. Specific skills and attributes are not something that can be learnt in the minutes and seconds required in order to apply to a critical decision making process but are acquired and developed over many years and supported by advanced processes and tools.</span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-family:Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;font-size:12px;line-height:20px;">To understand the best-in-class for corporate crisis management and decision-making we need to consider a number of things. Given that the timeliness of response is often predicated on how little time is wasted on logistical or bureaucratic processes before getting to a point of action, therefore companies with existing policy and procedure that is both rehearsed and updated, put themselves in the top 10 to 20% immediately. This element is certainly not a significant contributor to their success our outcome. Second, the quality of information on which decision-makers and leaders are basing their actions upon. This information alone does not comes from traditional sources such as television and paper it increasingly is inclusive of social media. The voices of many, albeit nonofficial, can have a significant impact on the outcome of the overall damage/survivability of an incident faced by a company.</span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-family:Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;font-size:12px;line-height:20px;">The best-in-class companies not only acknowledge social media but have means of tapping into influencing and monitoring all social media channels as required, not just in times of crisis but on a routine basis. Lastly and most significantly it’s the character of the individuals that fill the functions within a crisis or communications plan. It’s this area will look in more depth to determine the requirements attributes and success factors as crisis management is seldom the catalyst for success or failure but that of crisis leadership.</span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-family:Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;font-size:12px;line-height:20px;">In Malcolm Gladwell’s groundbreaking book <em>The Tipping Point</em> he mentions three significant class of character that are an important influence on social trends and epidemics. These three main character traits are also vital if not pivotal in the success of corporate communications and crisis response. Companies that lack or fail to identify and leverage from these key character and personality traits fall far behind the best of class and most innovative companies. These character traits and abilities are not governed by job title position or function they are skills possessed within a person and therefore should be leveraged in accordance with the skills to the desired outcome rather than relying on a predefined job title or function within the company. These three character traits are 1. Connectors. 2. Mavens and 3. Persuaders. In very rare instances one or more of these skill sets may be founded in a single person but any one person shouldn’t be relied upon in adding depth to any team, which is always sound practice.</span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-family:Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;font-size:12px;line-height:20px;">What makes someone a connector? The first–and most obvious–criteria is that connectors know a lot of people. They are kinds of people who know everyone</span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-family:Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;font-size:12px;line-height:20px;">No great team has all the solutions nor knows all of the information, however is vitally important that the team have access to an individual or group of individuals that can connect to all the known and possible resources in a short-as-possible time period. Connectors as such are fantastic networkers with not only huge personal networks but also plug into other complementary networkers or fellow connectors that maybe industry, technical, media or stakeholder orientated. They can aide immensely in benchmarking or calibrating the sentiment of particular decisions/actions or even the most appropriate channel to make sure that their message is heard clear and concisely with the required outcome.</span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-family:Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;font-size:12px;line-height:20px;">Every company should have at least one connector in a crisis or communications team or one that can be called upon quickly and effectively. It should be painfully evident this is not the type of skill or network that is built up overnight and therefore can’t be expected to be turned on by the flick of a switch; it may take years if not decades to develop and refine.</span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-family:Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;font-size:12px;line-height:20px;">Second of the three kinds of people who control the work of mouth epidemics are a Maven. The word Maven comes from Yiddish, and it means one who accumulates knowledge</span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-family:Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;font-size:12px;line-height:20px;">Mavens are active if not and borderline fanatics in their collection of information relative to a specific discipline or social scenario. Once again it’s essential that corporate decision-makers and crisis management teams include such knowledge collectors. Some companies may have them within their own organic structure or call upon them as part of their service providers or trusted advisors, in some instances even board members. Mavens may manifest in many shapes, forms, gender and age but they are very quickly identifiable by their sheer depth of knowledge and cross-referencing ability to join problems with solutions. A single conversation with an effective Maven may save corporate decision-makers hours if not weeks of procrastination and circular discussions.</span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-family:Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;font-size:12px;line-height:20px;">Mavens are teachers, Connectors are conduits but neither may be Persuaders and the reality is that some people are actually going to have to be persuaded to do something, this is the role of the persuader. A Persuader is not a snake-oil salesman, although many very effective salesmen and communicators are Persuaders. Persuaders are able to influence through their tone of voice, their physical appearance, their social observations, their empathy towards listeners or just in the way and manner they use all of the skills to communicate their particular message. Many famous politicians, while drawing criticism for their lack of knowledge and other skills, have been exceptional persuaders. Not advocating the requirement for “empty vessels” but persuaders have a rare and unique talent to be able to communicate and influence people to do something, that something being consistent with your objectives. It is a very dangerous process to use any of the identified skills and characteristics in the roles in which they’re not suited, in particular the use of a persuader in a lesser role or not that of an influencer.</span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-family:Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;font-size:12px;line-height:20px;">Many can now probably identify these key character traits and how successful they have been in routine and critical environments. However, it should be of major concern if you can not identify these traits within your own corporate crisis and communications team. Additionally if you have a total absence of any-and-all of the skill sets within your corporate crisis and communications team. You may survive the day to day routine rigors of business but survivability rate when exposed to critical incidences without these key elements is very poor. Even worse are those that assume that job titles within the company or even gender have imparted these skills upon each and every one of their senior executives is a gross oversight. The question remains can you identify these assets or can you contact them on your worst day? Your survival may very well depend on it one day.</span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-family:Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;font-size:12px;line-height:20px;"><sup>1</sup> The tipping point by Malcolm Gladwell chapter 1–The three rules of epidemics, page 38</span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-family:Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;font-size:12px;line-height:20px;"><sup>2</sup> The tipping point by Malcolm Gladwell chapter 1–The three rules of epidemics, page 60</span></p></div>Pareto’s Law-20% of your assets will be exposed to 80% of threats. Do you know which ones?https://globalriskcommunity.com/profiles/blogs/paretos-law20-of-your-assets2010-06-28T06:11:52.000Z2010-06-28T06:11:52.000ZTony Ridleyhttps://globalriskcommunity.com/members/TonyRidley<div><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-family:Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;font-size:12px;line-height:20px;"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}8028219677,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="" /></span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-family:Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;font-size:12px;line-height:20px;">Bad weather or even natural calamities do not affect every city in the world nor every resident of the affected area. Accidents, an inevitable part of some environments, do not affect all your people or totally devalue all your assets. Terrorist do not consider everyone a viable target nor are their actions likely to impact everyone over the course of their lives. The facts remain that only a small percentage of events or incidents resulting in loss of value or productivity will affect your business but conversely a smaller part of your overall assets are likely to succumb to these events; possibly even repeatedly. If this is the reality, why are there so many singular strategies for organizations, one-size-fits-all policy, uniformity in the approach when greater economy could be achieved by focusing on the priority areas? Most of the threats (80%) will only likely place at risk a smaller percentage (20%) of your assets. Do you know which ones?</span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-family:Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;font-size:12px;line-height:20px;">Too much time and deliberation is spent perfecting the process of identifying and qualifying the threat. While it remains a valid and useful phase the process becomes unexplainably weaker or less popular once value and measurable impact are introduced. This is in part possibly due to the skill and experience of those conducting the analysis/assessment who typical originate from a weak financial background. Even for those with little resources, training or even time, a qualifying exercise to determine what the impact of service failure, disruption or other stressors will provide you with a workable project plan for applying solutions, counter measures or treatment options. This should have financial implications, tangible and intangible. The higher the number, the greater the priority and easier to be presented to business leaders or collaborators. The easier you make the measurement or driver, in a format most commonly used, the greater adherence and buy-in you will get. Abstract terms, ratings, scientific pontification or just made up data will only erode the objective and almost all will loose interest. No single person ever saved an entire organization, it takes systems and team work that follows a plan.</span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-family:Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;font-size:12px;line-height:20px;">Many conventions are derived from habit or transferred from what others believe to be comparable models. Take fire sprinklers and suppression systems for example. A worthwhile investment and certainly mandated in some jurisdictions to prevent loss of life, undue stress on public services or even making local authorities look bad. Whatever the driver they are common place. However, not every square meter of a building is at risk of having a fire originate in that locale. Much of the planning and installation works on the assumption it could start anywhere, spread anywhere so lets just cover the entire structure. Not necessarily an efficient or effective process but wide spread practice none-the-less. Transferring this methodology to all/any other part of the business would have questionable benefits or make financial sense. These kind of general applications of similar strategies discredit the validity of risk management and force undue cost onto organizations that quite reasonably at times will forego the entire solution because the bulk of the concept is unnecessary, leaving the critical minority (20%) unprotected.</span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-family:Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;font-size:12px;line-height:20px;">Vision and direction begins with policy. However, this policy is a guiding principle with brevity and clarity not a standalone document. It should include the priority of care or concern such as people, brand, buildings, etc. Priority of response along with the objective of the efforts should be made clear to all. Any and all measures, outlined in subsequent procedural documents and training, should be measurable (financially, operationally and even brand integrity) and constantly reviewed. While policy is unlikely to change for longer periods of time, the process and even certain objectives may as the business changes in both culture and nature. The most effective policies are a single paragraph that encompasses all the aforementioned elements and does not dictate tactics for execution but ensures everyone at least moves forward in the same direction.</span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-family:Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;font-size:12px;line-height:20px;">Data is a great tool for creating foundation analysis but it should originate from both objective and subjective sources. Single minded collection, measurement and review lead to much bigger falls. No company knows everything about itself or everything else around it, no matter what some may think. Comparative information, data, review and even assessments ensure greater transparency in the final outcome. Care needs to be applied to ensure it is not a popularity contest or management by consensus, a final impartial decision maker is still required. Companies of all sizes can apply this approach cost effectively and expediently while enjoying maximum return on investment not just plain old return on investment (ROI).</span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-family:Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;font-size:12px;line-height:20px;">The clock is ticking, the world moves on and the business you had an hour ago is not the one you operate now. The process needs to be renewable, adaptive but above all constantly applied by monitoring and surveillance. Monitoring is required of the business, its actions, its impact, resources, threats, disruption impact potential and relevance to the overall business concerns. Many events that arrive on the doorsteps of your business first visited your neighbor or the business down the street. Just because you weren’t watching will not get you a leave pass on the impact your lack of preparation may bring to your organization. Larger companies have internal resources for this purpose, but the smartest have both internal and external for the reasons of effectiveness previously mentioned. Smaller companies, increasingly thanks to technology and a global market, can enjoy all the benefits of outsourced support that the larger companies do without the cost of ownership or inefficiency but with all the benefits.</span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);font-family:Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;font-size:12px;line-height:20px;">Only a fraction of your workforce are at risk; a percentage of your travelers too. Not all your fixed assets are of equal value nor will they be exposed to the same single loss expectancy (SLE) or annual loss expectancy (ALE). Only some markets need heightened levels of support and protection as much as only some markets are the most valuable to your overall financial health. Every single email piece of information your company possesses shares the same value. A single piece of code could be worth thousands but a warehouse of files could be nothing more than an administrative cost and operational burden. The problem with this all is that most companies simply don’t know which end is which. The one-size-fits-all approach is cheap, easily understood and been around for years. Secretly the more profitable, efficient and even safer companies have dispensed with the rule-of-thumb and focus their 80% resourcing on the most valuable 20% assets. Do you know your most valuable assets and are they better preserved than the lesser value assets? Or are you just applying the same approach for everyone, thing, process or bit because that is the way it has always been done?</span></p></div>