Responding when things go wrong
The world is becoming increasingly complex. The environment we face today is one where business and technology are interlinked and things now ‘connect’ with each other, often with unexpected results. Previously isolated, now connected, due to a plethora of technological and sociological changes.
We are faced with huge amounts of information, smart systems that communicate with each other, affordable computing power, tools enabling instant communication across the globe and the disruption of industry norms and business models.
When things that used to be kept separate start connecting with each other, it becomes a lot more difficult to predict what’s going to happen next. That creates a need for organisations and leaders to be far more aware of, and responsive to, changes in our environment and in the world around us.
In information technology, the complexity makes it almost impossible for anything to ‘go to plan’. The reality is that any project undertaken in the space will have more than its fair share of unintended consequences and unpredictable results. When processes fail or circumstances change unexpectedly, it is critical that leaders remain calm and avoid finger pointing or blaming others. We all need to accept the situation as it stands and start working together to change it. We need to respond.
In his book, “The Instant Survivor: Right Ways to Respond When Things Go Wrong”, Jim Moorhead offers a simple four step process than anyone can use to respond effectively to change:
1. Stay frosty - your emotions can impact on your decision making process so stay calm. Focus on yourself first, then the facts of the situation.
2. Secure support – build a team that will help you implement your response plan, move fast, be decisive and provide visibility on progress to stakeholders.
3. Stand tall – take personal responsibility where you need to, make good decisions and stay flexible.
4. Save your future – learn the lessons, understand how things went wrong in the first place and fix it. Prepare for the next unpredictable result. Avoid a repeating of the situation.
Complexity elevates risk and chance of failure more than ever before. It is almost unavoidable. As a result, as important as it is to continue work on preventing those risks and failures, ultimately, it is our ability to respond effectively that is the true measure of our leadership effectiveness.
