Why resilience is the wave of the future
Resilience convergence is the future wave because it works to solve problems instead of reacting. We all recognize that preventing issues is far better than addressing damage afterward. In previous blogs, What Resilience Is And Isn’t and Real Resilience, I discussed that the concept mixes regulatory drivers and certain programmatic practicality. It is being pushed and pulled on business continuity, crisis, security, and risk management.
Businesses survived calamitous change over the past few years. COVID continues as a significant factor in organizational response, but executives and boards discovered the idea of working to mitigate risk ahead of crisis events. No one denies that catastrophic events will continue to plague operational stability and the bottom line. However, philosophies like organizational and operational resilience give companies tools to not only overcome disasters but thrive for the long-term.
Wave of the future
In mathematics, a wave is a disturbance that moves energy from one place to another. Waves move energy, not matter and so move constantly back and forth. They are not limited to water but also light and sound. It is an apt metaphor for resilience because, in theory, the practice is ongoing and adjusting to changing conditions. To say it another way, it amplifies its parts by helping to measure responsiveness better.
Installing resilience programming helps us gauge a business’ overall health and ability to withstand adverse outcomes. By applying risk treatments as part of risk planning, we evolve superior strategies for response. And it’s not only risk treatment – risk response planning that benefits the organization here. Resilience done right unites continuity, security, crisis response, technology, and operations in a continuous whole that works symbiotically. Resilience is the crest of the wave in the continuous process of managing risk effectively, protecting the company’s assets from disruptions, and achieving successful resumption.
Championing resilience programming
To realize resilience convergence, business continuity, risk, and crisis management professionals can lead the way by synthesizing alignment across an organization. Three of the most effective ways I’ve observed are:
- Creating a shared venue for risk intelligence – Participate in a Fusion Center or create an internal network for critical information sharing.
- Aligning crisis teams – If it’s not in place already, cultivate a forum(s) for crisis preparedness amongst response teams (continuity, security, cyber, IT, brand management, communications, etc.).
- Risk Committees – Develop a strong Management Risk Committee (MRC) culture that ensures a robust Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) culture.
Finally, installing a resilience program is crucial for taking a defensive posture in a crisis. Before any event happens, the company must champion organizational resilience. Investing in the organization for the long-haul and embracing sustainability as a value provides the best chance for plasticity. Beyond that, it sets the business up for a unified approach to preparing for and responding to disasters.
Ride the wave to resilence
Once you have a resilience program, like at Netflix, it is vital to mature it over time. Practitioners need to analyze their current systems and identify existing gaps. Once improvement areas are determined, you can develop a resilience roadmap. Resilience program pillars align security, safety, business continuity, and risk.
Next, we want not just to install a program (not a project) but future-proof it by being willing to ride the waves over time. Resilience is a buzzword, but the ideas are sound enough to endure. Many of us feel strongly that it is the way forward. However, the possibilities exist that augmenting theories could arise. To continue to add value to our business environment, we must be willing to display agility and helpful leverage tools and be ready to take the leading edge of intelligent change.