Covenant Park Preparedness Systems Integration

See the following -

A Perspective of Resilience as Pertains to the Risks Posed by Relying on Digital Platforms

Over the past few months, we have witnessed the "Pushmi-Pullyu" of Big Tech controls and their political influence/power of digital platforms, legislative hearings on their control, public outrage, alternative platforming, censorship, etc. etc...I should say now: this is not a political commentary. It is however a perspective of resilience as pertains to the risks of digital platform reliance. It would seem easy to write about this right now after high profile platforms have made history-making decisions over the past few days. BUT the recognition of their broad authorities and critical capabilities has been a recognized risk for many years; this is not new.

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Incident Command System Should Not Be Used For Continuity Of Operations

Let me reiterate, the INCIDENT Command System (ICS) should not be used as the organizational structure to continue operations. No way, no how. I promised a few articles ago I was going to tackle this issue – an issue which has evolved over the last 20 years or so. I will add my theories on why a preponderance of well-intentioned folks have advocated the ICS structure be used as the “logical” (to them) structure to continue the operations of an organization. I believe I speak authoritatively on this having had both feet squarely planted in emergency management and continuity communities over the past 33 years.

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Infrastructure And Resilience --- The New Pride And Prejudice

I was going about my normal business the other day when an article from the Associated Press written by Matthew Daly And Hope Yen, and titled "Lawmakers: Ida damage shows need for infrastructure upgrades" landed in my inbox. I’m one of those weird people that sees “lawmakers” and “infrastructure” in a sentence, and am drawn to it with amused interest. Usually, I am interested academically…a lot of other times as a pure masochist…and still more often than not, like this time, with snarky anticipation. “Oh, what joyous, twisted misinformation do we have here?” The article summarizes quite aptly (kudos to Mr. Daly and Ms. Yen) the rationale applied for the monstrous, record-smashing infrastructure bills being batted about the House and Senate.

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Is Environmental, Social, And Governance (ESG) Activity the New ESP?

Harvard Business Review published (January/February 2021) an article How to Talk to Your CFO About Sustainability written by Tensie Whelan and Elyse Douglas, both associated with the NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business. This excellent article opens assuming a universal commitment by corporations to some level of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) activity. It further suggests a universal impression most Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) view such commitments as "a cost rather than a source of value." This impression resonated with me as a resilience and risk practitioner.

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QUANTUM RISK - A Geek's Guide to the World of Risk

Every once in a while, someone adds clarifying or new thoughts to an old practice, understanding, or belief. That's why authors and teachers are so plentiful because one can write about the same things using different words, vantage points, or exploratory insights and ideas…the endless beauty of the human experience and depths of cranial imagination. In this context, let me refer you to Mr. Tony Fish and his recent article "Quantum Risk: a wicked problem that emerges at the boundaries of our data dependency". To borrow from a modern day philosopher Forest Gump: I may not be a smart man, but I know what brilliance is. Mr. Fish in my view seems to have quite aptly inserted himself in a discussion between Hawking, Chesterton, Plato, and Aquinas. His article is packed with risk goodness and an expanding universe of understanding risk.

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Resilience Must Be Blind to Catalyst - Part II

If this is the first time you are reading something from me, let me introduce you to a phrase I coined in the early 2000s: "resilience (and continuity) is blind to the catalyst." My oft-repeated comment was to present an alternative to the emergency management foundations that were creeping into the continuity lexicon, whereby contingency planning is typically done with a "commensurate with the hazard" or "capabilities-based" approach. Resilience is and must be viewed with a much higher level of consideration…and NOT limited to specific hazards or capabilities. As I most certainly just ruffled feathers of some of my dearest and most deeply respected emergency management professionals, let me explain.

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Semiconductor Chip Shortage --- Or Just Bad Risk Management?

Having a single supplier dependence on a major supply chain item constitutes a basic failure of risk management in today's operating reality. And this lack of foresight can't even be attributed to the "unforeseeable" fallout from the pandemic. The semiconductor industry has always whipsawed between oversupply and undersupply and riding out these curves is a standard part of everyday planning for anyone with significant dependence. Do your job…be resilient. Or learn to accept the consequences of not being prepared and putting investors, reputation, shareholders, and consumers at risk.

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SERVANT LEADERSHIP --- A Challenging Imperative for Lasting Success

Drawing from various models of servant leadership, there is one common theme - it's not about you; it's about others. Servant leadership is not unique to thought leaders, philosophers, military leaders, or sports figures. It is available to all of us. As expressed by Robert K. Greenleaf, a long-time AT&T executive who brought the concept of servant leadership from ancient times to present day, "good leaders must first become good servants." If this concept isn't bound by industry, culture, or demographic, shouldn't we all give it a try? Personal and company success is the byproduct of doing the best we can to make others' lives better.

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