Never Let a Good Crisis Go to Waste
Recently, I had the pleasure of teaching classes in configuration management and DevOps best practices at Agile Development Conference East in Orlando, Florida.
Aside from the beautiful 80-degree sunshine, I had a special moment when I asked attendees what they learned from the first day of classes. Several folks answered that my suggestion that they “never let a good crisis go to waste” resonated with them. My comment was based on a quote from Winston Churchill. Churchill, like many other world leaders, presided during many crises with potentially far-reaching results. No doubt those were challenging times.
The fact is that times of crisis can be extremely difficult. When bad things happen, all involved usually feel the effects of extreme stress and anxiety. Our worst fears often cripple our ability to think clearly and make effective decisions. However, these are often the times when the potential for change and process improvement is greatest. The folks involved are likely to be open to change and doing things differently. Be careful, though: Your next move may make the difference between success and failure.
When I deal with a crisis, my first inclination is to help out in any way that I can. This is not the time for saying “I told you so,” and certainly not the time for finger-pointing. But helping to clean up the mess builds teamwork and improves mutual respect among all involved. The shared experience of surviving tough times also creates strong bonds and naturally motivates team members to look for ways to avoid the same mistakes again. More importantly, this is the time for making improvements.
Getting started usually requires an honest discussion about what really caused the incident in the first place. But don’t stop there. This is often exactly when folks are willing to consider new and better ways of doing things. Identifying the root cause of problems can be challenging, however, and successful efforts require some delicate interpersonal dynamics. Fundamental to any process improvement effort is eliminating the fear factor that can often derail even the most talented individual’s effectiveness.
Crisis management does not have to be all bad. In fact, dealing effectively with crisis can make us stronger and more successful. You can achieve success by recognizing the opportunity inherent in any serious incident. As Churchill said, you should never let a good crisis go to waste.
