Preparing for evil

摘要: How can you plan for every crisis that might occur, even ones can't imagine? The task seems so daunting and limitless many firms don't start. In fact, as the authors' 20 years of research shows, three out four Fortune 500 companies are prepared to handle only types calamities they've already suffered, not all those. That's unfortunate because also shows crisis-prepared fare better financially, have stronger reputations, ultimately stay in business longer than their prone counterparts. Crisis-prepared use a systematic approach focus efforts. addition planning natural disasters, they divide man-made into two sorts--accidental or "normal" ones, like Exxon Valdez oil spill, deliberate "abnormal" product tampering. Then take steps broaden thinking about such potential crises. They consider threats would be common other industries, instance. And seek input from outsiders investigative journalists reformed criminals. But if these think broadly possible threats, narrowly implementation. Each year, smart resources attention on few facilities picked at random, just airlines conduct detailed security checks passengers each flight. That reduces probability an attack entire organization it allows migrate steadily higher level readiness. know disasters cannot managed through cost-benefit analyses. It is precisely effects disaster predicted controlled efforts preventing crises rather containing them after fact.