While business continuity is done differently from company to company, we generally accept that the DRI International Professional Practices serve as a framework for the moving parts of the planning process. I get that.
You also may fast path when necessary. You may choose to embed a simple word document or excel spreadsheet or Visio diagram or use an SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) and kind of call it the plan for now. Many of us would find new and creative ways to get our business communities to actually do the work (what a concept!), and the dirty little secret is that many of us would write the lion’s share of the plan for our internal clients…just to call it done.
So, how many of you have these hidden little secrets about your BC program? How do you find creative ways to be successful in developing a robust and viable plan? How many of you have veered away from the stated methodology to “make it real”? Come on, I know it’s done all the time.
The question is: Is that cheating? Or is it simply BC Planning at its finest? Or is that really standard operating procedure? I contend that we all have rules within our BC programs that we routinely break (side-step) to get the job done. True? I contend that the importance of a viable/sustainable plan supersedes the need to stay within the boundaries as set forth by the BC Program Management Office. Well, sometimes I was the program management office, and I contributed to the establishment of the rules and guidelines. So, I got a free pass. But how many of you when confronted with myriad forms, templates, and rules sometimes just go a little rogue and simply asked your clients questions like: What keeps you up at night? What do you do here that you deem most vital? What does your senior leadership see as the strategic imperatives for this group/company? Can we quickly get to the crux of the matter here and save us all some time and energy? If it happened tonight, what would you do?
Have any of you ever used these hidden gems of BC fast pathing? I have. Is this BC heresy or practicality at its best? Sometimes we recognize the need for process and perfection. Other times, practicality becomes our guide. That’s not to say we should cast the professional practices to the wind. On the contrary, you really do need to incorporate all of that! It’s important and it will get you to the goal line. I am not suggesting that you cut corners and develop a plan based on conjecture and guesswork. I am suggesting that you respect your clients’ calendars and move rapidly and methodically through the process without torturing them with unnecessary administrivia. Do I feel better for saying that? For sharing my shortcuts and secrets? I’m not really sure. But let’s take a minute to turn from our secrets to some of the hidden gems and secrets of Philadelphia, our host city for DRI2013 (to be held June 4-7):
- Reading Terminal Market Giveaways: Head to the hallowed dining hall shortly before closing time (6 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 5 p.m. on Sunday) for steep discounts or even freebies from merchants looking to unload the day’s goods.
- Insectarium: Who knew Frankford Avenue was home to the country’s largest bug museum, where thousands of live and mounted insect, both newly discovered and extinct species, creep out kids and adults alike
- Whispering Benches: Though the explanation for the two “Whispering Benches” in Philadelphia is best left up to scientists, it is fact that the Ellen Phillips Samuel Memorial on Kelly Drive and the Smith Memorial Arch on the Avenue of the Republic both boast stone benches where two people sitting on far ends of each 50-foot bench can whisper yet hear each other clearly. The perfect place for sharing secrets!
Have a great week everyone.
Clyde Berger
cberger@driif.org
Director of Volunteerism and Vice President