Preparedness Roadmaps + Disaster Kitchens + Volatility and More
Profiles in Preparedness #12
As we step into 2025, I hope everyone had a chance to enjoy a relaxing end to 2024. The year hasn’t exactly begun in a period of calm, though. Instead, it’s been marked by volatility and a string of attacks—a stark reminder of the unpredictable environment we continue to operate in.
This sense of uncertainty has been a recurring theme in the articles I read (and am sharing) this week.
But the goal isn't simply to recognize this uncertainty; it is to use that understanding to guide your decisions and way forward. This understanding should inform your reflections on your capabilities and help you select the projects—the preparedness work—that best ready your organization for the future.
As 2024 came to a close, I spent time helping a client define which preparedness projects will allow them to accomplish what they are setting out to do in 2025. This “Preparedness Roadmap” isn’t about making another New Year’s resolution that fizzles out by February, though. It’s about intentionality: setting out to develop the skills, processes, and systems that will help an organization weather future storms and grow through them.
But you can’t build those capabilities unless you have clarity on your goals. Clarity can make all the difference, and it’s a lesson worth carrying into the year ahead.
That is getting left of bang.
This Week‘s Reads
Here are a few thought-provoking reads that caught my attention this week and why I thought they were worth sharing.
Article | How to Succeed in an Era of Volatility. "One cold, hard truth laid bare by the pandemic is how vulnerable a business can become when strategic foresight and operational flexibility are low on the list of priorities for boards and leadership teams." The article argues that thriving in a volatile world demands investment in three key areas—prediction, adaptability, and resilience—which it unpacks with practical insights. Importantly (and a common theme from my client work over the past year) is the importance of identifying and monitoring early warning signals to anticipate threats before they escalate. A must-read for anyone looking to future-proof their organization against uncertainty.
Article | Deception and Betrayal: Inside the Final Days of the Assad Regime. I’ll admit, I didn’t know as much as I should have about the regime or fall of Bashar al-Assad, but this article provides a compelling walkthrough of those final days. It’s a vivid reminder of the importance of maintaining objectivity, sourcing information from multiple perspectives, and ensuring you have the intel needed to make informed decisions. The article (and the events of the past week) remind us that while America might be done with the war on terror, the war on terror might not be done with us.
Article | At World Central Kitchen, José Andrés Is in the Middle of a Mess. This article offers a fascinating look at José Andrés and the World Central Kitchen, highlighting the challenges of balancing urgency with structure in disaster response. As they put it, “World Central Kitchen believes hungry people need to be fed today, not tomorrow.” But when do you push, especially when volunteers are involved, and how do you ensure your team remains safe in dangerous and high-pressure conditions? With what I expect to be continued growth of the disaster management industry, these questions are increasingly relevant for organizations navigating this field.
Article | Premier League Games Cost Millions to Stage – What Happens When They Are Called Off? I re-read this article after reflecting on the Sugar Bowl's postponement following this week's attack in New Orleans. It delves into the decision-making during a Premier League game last month, offering a key takeaway: leaders must have adaptable plans for their events. Delaying an event is not an easy decision to make and requires careful consideration—providing attendees time to adjust, minimizing costs, and ensuring the safety of everyone involved, from players to spectators and staff. These situations are rare, but their infrequency makes it even more critical to ensure plans are functional and effective when needed.
For When You’re Ready
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And if you’re thinking about how to strengthen your organization's preparedness, that’s what I do. Whether it’s assessments, planning, speaking, or exercises, I help teams build the skills and strategies to stay ahead of the next challenge.
Here's to a successful 2025!