This Month's topic: Business Recovery Plans
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| This Month's Topic: Business Recovery Plans |
Sites of the Month
Each month, this area provides with a
number of my favorite and most helpful sites regarding the topic of the month.
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Management
Tip of the Month
Each issue, I start with a discussion
of my management perspective on the month's topic, and give you a few hands-on
ideas to consider.
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Recommended Publications
Here, I provide you with my
recommendations on the materials available that can help you
become more mission-capable in the area of Business Recovery Plans.
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Technology
I provide you with some good ideas for
uses of tech to better your organization in the area of Business Recovery Plans.
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Marketing
Tip
So much to say, so little space to say
it.....
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Next
Issue
In February, we'll get into an issue that is important enough that I've written a new book about it: Generation Change, and we'll look at one issue within this larger challenge: Generation Change and Your Staff.
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Websites of the
Month
Here are my recommendations for websites of interest
on this month's topic: Business Recovery Plans.
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Management Tip of the Month
Business Recovery Plans
Hurricanes. Tsunamis. Tornadoes.
Blizzards. Ice storms Floods. Earthquakes. Do you live in an area that
is not prone to one or more of these?
I met a guy once who had carefully checked the entire continental US to
find one small area in central New Mexico that was not prone to
any of these disasters. He and his wife moved there. And,
of course, the next summer their house burned down in a freak electrical storm.
That story, plus our recent experience with mega disasters, and our
national concern about terrorist attacks, should be fair warning that
our organizations need to plan for the worst, while hoping for the
best. And, the time to plan (and practice) is now, not later.
So, here are some scenarios to consider.
1. There's a widespread 10 day power outage that includes our organization's site(s). How do we keep doing our mission?
2. There is a flood in our building (from a storm, or a simple
plumbing failure). All our computers are ruined, all our paper files are under
water. How do we recover?
3. We have a disaster that affects not only our operations, but the
homes of our staff (think earthquake, hurricane, blizzard, flood). What
should they be expected to do?
What are your preparations for these and the myriad of other things
that can go wrong? I know you don't want to think about this: but
neither did many of the nonprofits in the path of Hurricane
Katrina...and we know how hard they got hit.
So, what should you do? Start here:
First, talk
about this issue at the staff and board level. What part of your
operations are critical, which ones less so? For example, if you run
24/7 mission (like a homeless shelter) what are your plans to protect
the shelter residents while at the same time maintaining staffing? If
you are an art gallery, what resources do you need to commit to protect
your collection?
Second,
decide what can be done now to prepare. Generators, Satellite phones,
first aid kits, etc. may wind up on your list, as may off site data
backups, and regular scanning of key records to prevent flood
damage.
Third,
develop a disaster plan for the organization. Review and practice this
plan at least annually. Look at the links I've provided above as a
place to start.
Fourth,
make sure that your employees are prepared in their own homes. Hold
some training (the Red Cross, or county disaster officials would be
happy to help in this area), and perhaps even provide some simple
disaster kits for your staff.
Few of us really want to spend time worrying about a disaster, but good stewardship mandates
that we are prepared. Consider this a different kind of insurance. It's
expensive (in time) now, but could save your organization and its
ability to provide its mission if the worst happens.
If
you found this hint helpful, there are lots more management, marketing, and
technology ideas for you in the "Ideas" section at
www.missionbased.com. Check them
out--they're free.
And, remember to take a look at the
Mission-Based Management
Blog.
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