During the 1989 earthquake in Santa Rosa, I was at a meeting in an office that did not have an emergency plan and the leader was the first one out the door. I have a client whose building burned to the ground one night. These are just two personal examples of the things we think won’t happen. In every organization, no matter how large or small, disaster preparedness is relevant. As leaders, we are responsible for planning for the unexpected. It can be easy to put this low on the priority list, but I urge you to resist that inclination. For inspiration and information on this topic, here’s a link to my new column, published last week in the North Bay Business Journal.

Food for Thought ~

… the quality of leadership prior to a crisis depends on foresight and discipline. The quality of leadership during a crisis depends on wisdom and character. In the disaster preparedness realm, the operative word is when, not if. Continue reading the article

Question for the day ~

Does your organization have an up-to-date disaster preparedness plan?

My sincere congratulations if your answer to that question is “yes.” This is one plan I hope you have but never need. Former Girl Scouts may remember that “Be Prepared” was our official motto. (O.K. former Boy Scouts – what was your motto?) Please, be prepared!

Mary