On the A44 going down into Broadway in Worcestershire is a steep descent called Fish Hill which boasts an escape lane – see this article and also Escape Lane “An escape lane is a road feature that seems to be disappearing from our roads. They were commonly located on steep hills in the past, offering a safe zone for vehicles, particularly lorries, to get off the road if their brakes proved to be insufficient for the hill.” They are far less common these days as improved brakes and road systems have been introduced. However, it is the concept I am interested in here. When I was younger one of my more distant friends had a reputation for getting into trouble, which was to some extent deserved. He used to drive cars very fast along English country roads often at night and sometimes racing. Whilst not to be recommended he opened my eyes (as a more conservative road user) to how he saw a particular stretch of road. He did not just like most of us follow the tarmac and obey the road signs (he definitely did not always do that!), but rather looked to the side of the road and the verge and calculated what would happen if he was forced (or skidded) off the road. So, if for example there was a grass strip then going off the road was not too risky. If there were trees or other immovable obstacles it was definitely to be avoided. This sort of thinking is worth keeping in mind if something does go wrong and you are for example swerving to avoid another road user. Hopefully this is a rarity, but if it happens this greater awareness and having some idea of an escape lane if you like can be critical. I took an advance drivers test a couple of years ago and the instructor said something similar in terms of being aware even when you are on motorway of the traffic in front and behind you in case you need to take evasive action. See this article Escape Route(s) – Always Leave an “Out”.
However, here I think there is also a useful the analogy to our professional working life and the idea that if something does go dramatically wrong we have already planned a hypothetical escape lane. Say a commercial deal being negotiated for 12 months collapses at the last moment, or a patient well on the road to recovery suddenly relapses. Or a business sale of a company already suffering financial difficulties stalls threatening to destroy the whole corporation. These things will inevitably happen, hopefully very rarely, but when they do it helps to have a thought through way out to prevent a professional disaster. A year ago in October 2023 I wrote a blog Have a Plan B commenting “it really pays to have a back-up plan even if things seem to be going well. Then at least you are prepared.” I want to take this a stage further in October 2024 and look at how and indeed if we can prepare for a fundamental failure (no brakes on a steep hill) or change of circumstances which threatens to derail an entire transaction or career or professional business.
One perspective on this subject is the idea of a disaster recovery plan – see this Google Cloud article What is a Disaster Recovery Plan? Which discusses what to do if there is a serious IT failure. “Disaster recovery (DR) is an organization’s ability to restore access and functionality to IT infrastructure after a disaster event, whether natural or caused by human action (or error).” It discusses “having a solid plan to get critical applications and infrastructure up and running after an outage”. But this is more of an organisational plan that will exist at a corporate or firm level like an emergency plan of there is (another) pandemic or terrorist attack – see Emergency Planning in the Workplace. It will in effect be imposed on workers by the firm. Closer to my theme is how to plan for individual career and work challenges – see this blog Everyone Needs A Career Disaster Recovery Plan: Here’s How To Get Started which comments “When disaster strikes there’s sense of sense of powerless that comes with it. Making a plan can help with that feeling”.
There is plenty of advice and commentary available about what to do AFTER a crisis, see, for example, this short Forbes piece How To Recover From A Major Mistake At Work but far less commentary on anticipating and being prepared.
This attitude or approach of thinking about an escape lane before the event occurs also helps to turn failure into success. See this blog by the author James ClearPlan For Failure: Being Consistent Is Not the Same as Being Perfect. The context is about consistency but he also comments as follows:
“But if you want to maintain your sanity, reduce stress, and increase your odds of long-term success, then you need to plan for failure as well as focus on consistency…..research from Stanford professor Kelly McGonigal has shown that the number one reason why willpower fades and people fail to remain consistent with their habits and goals is that they don’t have plan for failure. Planning to fail doesn't mean that you expect to fail, but rather than you know what you will do and how you will get back on track when things don't work out. If you're focused on being perfect, then you're caught in an all-or-nothing trap.”
That fount of all current wisdom AI (Microsoft Copilot) advises (quite sagely on this occasion) that “When a professional transaction goes wrong, it’s crucial to have a plan in place to address the issue effectively. Here are some steps you can take:
1 Assess the Situation:
“Always plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark.” The American prelate Richard Cushing.
“I am prepared for the worst, but hope for the best.” Benjamin Disraeli.
“To expect the unexpected shows a thoroughly modern intellect.” Oscar Wilde.
However, here I think there is also a useful the analogy to our professional working life and the idea that if something does go dramatically wrong we have already planned a hypothetical escape lane. Say a commercial deal being negotiated for 12 months collapses at the last moment, or a patient well on the road to recovery suddenly relapses. Or a business sale of a company already suffering financial difficulties stalls threatening to destroy the whole corporation. These things will inevitably happen, hopefully very rarely, but when they do it helps to have a thought through way out to prevent a professional disaster. A year ago in October 2023 I wrote a blog Have a Plan B commenting “it really pays to have a back-up plan even if things seem to be going well. Then at least you are prepared.” I want to take this a stage further in October 2024 and look at how and indeed if we can prepare for a fundamental failure (no brakes on a steep hill) or change of circumstances which threatens to derail an entire transaction or career or professional business.
One perspective on this subject is the idea of a disaster recovery plan – see this Google Cloud article What is a Disaster Recovery Plan? Which discusses what to do if there is a serious IT failure. “Disaster recovery (DR) is an organization’s ability to restore access and functionality to IT infrastructure after a disaster event, whether natural or caused by human action (or error).” It discusses “having a solid plan to get critical applications and infrastructure up and running after an outage”. But this is more of an organisational plan that will exist at a corporate or firm level like an emergency plan of there is (another) pandemic or terrorist attack – see Emergency Planning in the Workplace. It will in effect be imposed on workers by the firm. Closer to my theme is how to plan for individual career and work challenges – see this blog Everyone Needs A Career Disaster Recovery Plan: Here’s How To Get Started which comments “When disaster strikes there’s sense of sense of powerless that comes with it. Making a plan can help with that feeling”.
There is plenty of advice and commentary available about what to do AFTER a crisis, see, for example, this short Forbes piece How To Recover From A Major Mistake At Work but far less commentary on anticipating and being prepared.
This attitude or approach of thinking about an escape lane before the event occurs also helps to turn failure into success. See this blog by the author James Clear
“But if you want to maintain your sanity, reduce stress, and increase your odds of long-term success, then you need to plan for failure as well as focus on consistency…..research from Stanford professor Kelly McGonigal has shown that the number one reason why willpower fades and people fail to remain consistent with their habits and goals is that they don’t have plan for failure. Planning to fail doesn't mean that you expect to fail, but rather than you know what you will do and how you will get back on track when things don't work out. If you're focused on being perfect, then you're caught in an all-or-nothing trap.”
That fount of all current wisdom AI (Microsoft Copilot) advises (quite sagely on this occasion) that “When a professional transaction goes wrong, it’s crucial to have a plan in place to address the issue effectively. Here are some steps you can take:
1 Assess the Situation:
- Identify the Problem: Understand what went wrong and why. Gather all relevant information and documentation.
- Evaluate the Impact: Determine the extent of the damage or loss caused by the issue.
- Inform Stakeholders: Notify all relevant parties about the issue promptly. Be honest and clear about what happened and the potential impact.
- Provide Updates: Keep stakeholders informed about the steps being taken to resolve the issue and any progress made.
- Identify Solutions: Brainstorm possible solutions to rectify the problem. Consider both short-term fixes and long-term strategies to prevent recurrence.
- Consult Experts: If necessary, seek advice from legal, financial, or other relevant professionals to ensure the chosen solution is sound.”
“Always plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark.” The American prelate Richard Cushing.
“I am prepared for the worst, but hope for the best.” Benjamin Disraeli.
“To expect the unexpected shows a thoroughly modern intellect.” Oscar Wilde.
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