special report
So how can the truth be revealed among executive management and their stakeholders? How can they realize that a strong
BC program is not only important but also essential? What will
convince them that it isn’t a choice but a necessity?
To understand why this blind spot persists in many organizations, we may consider a few reasons that are common to many.
Management often never sees a complete picture of what
makes up a solid BC program. This can occur over time, and to no
direct fault of anyone in particular. As a result the BC function has
been separated into silos, with each key planning area under different management responsibilities [(i.e., IT participants engaged
in disaster recovery planning (data center recovery) often don’t
understand the business or crisis management side of an event
(they “believe” it is okay that the emperor goes about wearing no
clothes)]. This can even create a sense of competition among
parts of the organization trying to gain access to the same limited
funds, instead of working together to protect the organization. In
other words, one hand doesn’t know what the other is doing, assumes someone is protecting what is actually exposed, thus rendering itself “blind” to potential risks and impacts.
Secondly, executive management, the board of directors, and
other stakeholders are often unaware of the true status of business continuity within an organization. There is an expectation
that if a significant event occurs, things will be taken care of –
the emperor must have clothes. The point is, management often
overestimates the true recovery capabilities for their organization. They take a simplistic view to a very complex and dynamic
process. As an example, there is often a perception that in an
emergency event, people will work at home or use Blackberries to
conduct business. This is a simplistic view that will only work with
the appropriate planning to support these strategies in a disaster
situation. These are not solutions that can support all business
functions, especially the most critical. In some cases there is almost a “don’t ask, don’t tell” philosophy – nobody wants to know
the emperor is naked.
And finally, in many companies, the value and benefits produced by an effective BC program are never observed or understood by management – the emperor has fine clothes, but he is
just not wearing them.
There are a number of reasons why these business continuity
related benefits go unnoticed.
n The silo approach to business continuity separates the planning
areas into different parts of the organization. With this approach,
the related values and benefits are dispersed and never reported
in an effective manner. Also, the business continuity components
get lost in other priorities.
n Business continuity practices never reach the level of maturity
necessary to provide the greatest benefits for an organization,
because it has been treated as a compliance task, orphaned to
the “dungeons” of higher management priorities, and the process
rendered mostly ineffective.
n Management doesn’t see or realize many of the inherent benefits
produced from an effective BC Program. This is often because they
are not receiving the information or they are not paying attention.
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