Lessons from 9-11: What’s the status of your crisis plan?

The Wall Street Journal reported last week that although most companies have created formal disaster-preparedness plans, most still don’t feel secure – only a third of companies say they are well prepared for potential threats or disasters. Further, the study, conducted by the Society of Human Resources Managers, found that 85% of companies had disaster plans in 2005 (an increase from just 54% in 2o01) – but that the number has decreased. Only 76% of companies today reported having a disaster plan. That seems low to me, given what we’ve learned, not only from 9-11 but from the range of other crises that have impacted companies and industries in the past ten years.  Also, if companies have disaster plans, why don’t they feel secure? Is the plan sitting on a shelf? Does the executive team know how to activate it? Is it practised and publicized internally?

What’s the state of your company’s disaster plan? What you share could help a lot of us! Thanks-

Jaya

Source: SHRM, from WSJ, Sept 6 2011

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904583204576546651396571610.html?mod=WSJ_mgmt_LeftTopNews

Faith and Acceptance

How did you spend your 9-11 weekend? Did you commemorate, remember, honor? Always interested in media, I was mesmerized by the coverage. All outlets, it seemed, were under strict orders to handle it tastefully (whatever that means to them), and so we saw interviews of surviving family members, visual reruns, skyline sketches… I began to ask: what’s the real purpose in all this coverage? We have been constantly admonished to “never forget” – and I wholeheartedly agree we should not forget those who lost their lives (or anyone who loses their life in any situation), and we should honor the heroism that emerged on that horrible day and since. Beyond that, does remembering create anything positive? Or are we in danger of wallowing?  I believe the reason to remember events is because they make us wiser, happier or stronger and overall, because they add joy and meaning to the present moment. If we hold onto that ten-year-old event  because we find positive effect, I’m all for it. If not, let’s focus on those things that enlighten and gladden.

From 9-11, some of my key takeaways are: Fate and luck are factors in all things; we should give up the illusion that we’re omnipotent and in total control (no matter how much we plan or what status we hold in society), we must each day be prepared for dire circumstances and also for great heroism within us and from others, and that we have to go about our lives with an overriding feeling that a. all will be well with you and yours and b. whatever is meant to be for you and yours that day – will indeed be. Faith and acceptance – that’s what we have. That’s a lot.

What did it mean to you?

Jaya

A few highlights from the weekend’s major dailies:

• “We’ll Never Get Over It, Nor Should We” by Peggy Noonan (OPINION, Wall Street Journal)

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904836104576558933073846412.html?KEYWORDS=peggy+noonan

• Magazine Covers on a Topic Known All Too Well By JEREMY W. PETERS (The Arts, New York Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/10/arts/magazine-covers-about-911.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper

• On Anniversary of Attack, Many New Yorkers Will Try Not to Dwell on It By N. R. KLEINFIELD (New York, New York Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/10/nyregion/on-911-anniversary-many-new-yorkers-will-try-not-to-dwell-on-it.html?ref=todayspaper