Planning for unexpected outcomes is just as critical as planning for your success!

Your strategic plan maps your path to success, guiding you and your employees toward growth. It outlines your commitment to success and acts as a GPS to lead you to it.

But what if you meet an unexpected challenge or emergency and need to take a detour? Plan for that, too! Planning for your success demonstrates your commitment to achieving your best, while planning for the unthinkable demonstrates your commitment to a different, no less important, outcome.

Preparing for the worst while expecting the best:

  • Demonstrates respect for your employees and/or investors
  • Minimizes loss
  • Prevents panic and decision making based on emotions

Change is predictable — plan for it

Change itself is predictable but of course the details are not. There’s no crystal ball showing the future of your business, only an understanding that there are many forces outside our control. While it’s not possible for your strategic plan to cover every possible emergency, a good contingency plan will help you navigate unexpected and unwelcome changes in your business environment.

How do you plan for contingencies you can’t predict? Think in terms of planning for change instead of specific situations. Of course, just having a strategic plan isn’t enough — it’s not a one-and-done game. You need to know when to initiate it. Planning and preparing are only the first steps. You must be constantly assessing threats and be prepared to put your plan into play, if needed. With a plan already in place, you’ll be in a much better position to face whatever challenges arise.

How do you include the unknown in your strategic plan?

While you can’t plan for every surprise, different situations carry different risks for different businesses:

  • What if someone else has to carry on for you due to a personal emergency?
  • If your family situation changes, does your business involvement need to change too?
  • What if your landlord decides to change the purpose of the property and ends your lease?
  • How about an economic downturn?
  • How will your business respond to a disaster like a building fire or tornado?

Your plans might differ based on whether the event is internal or external, involves a change in management, or immediately effects the safety or economic stability of your employees. You might focus on safety, restoring critical resources or operations, or the chain of command for recovery operations.

Being prepared is critical to your success

Knowing what to do during an emergency, and who will do it, can help minimize the impact on your business and employees. David can guide you through the process of completing a business impact analysis and developing a continuity plan to manage disruptions to your business. The hope is that you’ll never have to use it, but wouldn’t you rather be prepared?

Start with a phone call

David is an accomplished and experienced business professional who brings over 40 years of insight to the table. As a business coach, he specializes in helping business owners prioritize their business needs, identify areas of improvement to support those needs, and lead their business to its greatest potential. He can help you plan for the future of your company.

It all starts with a single, free conversation. Call 734-726-5208 today for a free coaching session or contact him through the website. In today’s world, you need to be ready for anything.