Preparing for the Unexpected

If there's anything the world can use more of, it's good leadership, especially during the Coronavirus pandemic. I talk with internationally recognized Crisis Management expert, trainer, and author Dr. Larry Barton. Focusing on the ideas and thoughts in his book 'Crisis Leadership Now', we chat about what makes a crisis a crisis (think of the 'Big 3'), who is best suited to be an organization's Crisis Leader, characteristics of a good Crisis Leader and the do's and don'ts of managing a crisis. We'll even touch on a subject many people don't fully understand - the role of the Board of Directors during a crisis. It's an incredibly informative discussion not to be missed.

Getting Business Continuity wrong can cause many issues - getting it right can be an artform. I speak with noted industry expert and author of 'Business Continuity Planning: The Art of Remaining Continuous', Jeffrey Tefertiller. We'll talk about the Business Impact Analysis, Risk Assessment, and how to get the best from them, and what areas you need to focus on to get the information you need. Jeffrey will also talk how testing and awareness is changing due to Covid-19 and how the pandemic is going to change the BCM industry going forward. Jeffrey talks about his experiences and provides some new and fresh perspectives on Business Continuity Planning industry. Don't miss it!

I continue my monthly chat with Regina Phelps on the latest happenings related to Covid-19 pandemic. We'll touch on: 1. Considerations for the upcoming holiday season for both organizations and families, 2. The latest progress on vaccines, including why a couple of of tests have been paused, 3. Mental well-being, 4. Social Bubbles and much more. As always, it's an enlightening discussion with lots to learn from Regina.

Disaster preparation comes in many forms and some would have you believe that 'prepping' for a disaster is a doom-and-gloom mentality; it's not what you might think. I speak with Diane Vukovic author of 'Disaster Preparedness for Women: 52 Steps to Get Ready for Anything' and outdoor survivalist expert. During our chat, we find out what 'prepping' really is and how it's not what movies and television shows have you believe; it's a logical approach to personal risk management. Diane will talk about what we need to consider in our own preparedness plans; from mental preparedness to plans to 'Go Bags'. Diane will also share some hearth-wrenching thoughts on rape and a women's 'politeness', sharing personal experiences along the way. This is an episode sure to surprise you!

For decades BCM / DR professionals have performed the Business Impact Analysis (BIA) the same way with the same results; often not quite the results expected.

John Jackson, an early visionary in BCM / DR, talks about how the traditional BIA may need to change; change how we ask questions, who we ask information from and what results it needs to deliver if its to be effective for organizations.

We'll learn how to increase the value of BCM and DR by simply refocusing our efforts when executing a BIA to provide information that can benefit an organization when developing its BCM strategies and increasing the ability to respond to negative events.

John provides allot of great tips and information to increase the value of new and experiences BCM professionals and increase the effectiveness of BCM programs.

Hear some first hand examples of how the traditional BIA can be reimagined and executed from an industry pioneer. It's sure to be a great educational experience for all.

We hear allot about Business Continuity Management and Organizational Resilience but usually the examples are from Europe and/or North America. We'll talk with Organizational Resilience and Business Continuity expert Timothe Graziani, who is headquartered in the Dominican Republic, and chat about BCM in the Latin America (LATAM) region. We'll chat about some of the different challenges LATAM countries face with BCM and what's driving the push to move BCM and Org Resilience to the forefront. We'll also touch on how Covid-19 has impacted the LATAM region and what countries and their resilience people are doing to address it. It's a very information show with some new perspectives on some traditional ideas. Don't miss it!

I continue my monthly chat with Regina Phelps on the latest happenings related to Covid-19 pandemic. We'll talk about the upcoming flu/cold season and what that might mean for us. Regina will also talk to us about Crisis Management Teams and ways to manage team burnout to enable organizations to deal with other current situations; wildfires, hurricanes, storms, and cyber attacks. Regina will also talk about Incident Action Plan (IAP) and how we can use these plans to better position ourselves down the road to deal with other potential crises.

The COVID-19 Pandemic has strongly defined the importance of a Business Continuity Management (BCM) program and the role of the BCM professional. Join me as I talk with Cheyene Marling from BC Management, as we talk about the findings in the latest BCM Management Assessment Report 'What's Your Role During the COVID-19 Response?' We'll discuss some of the key findings from respondents and the reasons for them. Some of the findings are quite surprising but they are sure to help define the future of the BCM industry and what's in store for the BCM professional.

Facing Adversity is something most of us are familiar with; some of us are successful at dealing with adversity, while others are not as successful. The current global Covid-19 Pandemic is certainly a key adverse situation that all organizations and people are having to deal with. I speak with the author of 'In Defense of Adversity: Turning Your Toughest Challenges into Your Greatest Success', Steve Gavatorta. We'll talk about Resilience, Emotional Intelligence, Leadership, and how we can help make ourselves more resilient after encountering adverse situations. Steve will also talk to use about performing a 'Situational De-brief' to help us identify how we can learn from perceived adverse situations. As an added bonus, if you wish to receive a free ebook from Steve, listen to the show and send an email to him at [email protected]. Tell him Alex at 'Preparing for the Unexpected' sent you! Enjoy!

Once again we talk with Prof. David Lindstedt and Mark Armour, the creative forces behind the Adaptive Business Continuity movement. We'll talk about the latest news with AdaptiveBC and continue with some eye-opening discussions on topics related to Business Continuity. We'll also talk to David and Mark about the possible future of Business Continuity in the world of Covid-19 and how we can present value to Executives and Decision-Makers who may be thinking differently as a result of the pandemic. We'll even chat about why there's been so little talk about the Business Impact Analysis (BIA) during Covid-19. As always, our chat with David and Mark will get you thinking on how you can improve your own BC programs.