The question of "What if" is largely one that we all try and sidestep within our businesses, as we all hope that the unexpected will never happen to us.

Yet, when the unexpected does happen it is the companies that have dedicated the time and resource to answering that question, that feel the least disruption and can return to business much faster than their competitors.

In a period where all organisations are seeking ways to ensure that their business model is constantly available to serve customers, being able to answer the "what if" question should be viewed as a key priority.

Today we are fortunate to have an interview with Patrick O'Connor, who was responsible for ensuring that a Global Investment Bank could continue trading under any foreseen and un-foreseen circumstances.

However, as Pat's story unfolds you will understand the extremities to which his contingency plans and distaster recovery strategies were tested to their absolute limit . . .



Key messages from Pat:

I personally felt that Pat's key message of being able to 'segment the different experiences, focussing only on the most relevant segment, and ignoring the noise (as he called it)' will be extremely helpful to others
Accepting that your team will have to deal with any family matters, before they can fully function / respond to the crisis
Understanding the the flow of communication is paramount
Practise, practise and practise some more - to enable your staff to function on 'auto-pilot' when a crisis situation occurs

Additional notes and resources (just click on the links for more information):

Inspirational Book - "The Long Run" by Matthew Long, New York Fire Fighter

Interview Transcription:

Transcript: Planning for the unexpected in Business (Max#37)

Sponsors:

Jenrick Recruitment - specialists in Engineering, IT and Commercial recruitment services
Xerxes Music