Since returning from WCDM last month I have began a new engagement with my largest client. This role involves the application of Incident Management and Control Room discipline to the delivery of a major new IT/IS change program.

The program is in the final stage of a 4 year delivery cycle, and rapid response to defects and outages is critical, along with simple (but effective) delivery of ‘intelligence’ to Executive Management.

This is a great example of where people who have developed skills in the BC domain can add value to the day-to-day operation of their business.

If your company/client is not in the business of providing BC services – then BC is not a ‘core’ focus area for your company. You may argue that it should be, but it rarely is. Simply providing governance and oversight is rarely the core business of anybody, yet it seems to be the primary focus of many in this field today.

Not surprising then that we often do not get any respect – as John Glenn commented on his blog recently.

I expect the central BC folks in any company to be skilled at Command Post/Control Room disciplines. In particular they need to be able to contribute to the Planning/Intelligence capability in a significant way.

It is a myth that the BC folks will run the company in a crisis. At the other extreme of popular BC-culture is the idea that you go and play golf in crisis (no role in the recovery). Those who believe the myth are self-deluded, those who follow the later view make themselves irrelevant to their company.

If you dont have these Incident Management/Crisis Management skills and capability in your BC group – go and develop them. It is a first step to making your BCM Program relevant to your Executive.

There is another aspect we need to recognise if we want to become relevant. As I noted above, the vast majority of companies are not in the BC business. So unless you have some other skills and knowledge (other than claiming specialist BC expertise) you may struggle to become relevant.

BC folks are well positioned to understand all areas of the business. But knowing who to send templates to and collect reports from just wont cut it. You will need to know what they do, why it is important and, to some extent, how they do it. Then you can contribute a little more to the BAU process.

We need to develop wider management and leadership skills to really take a position of relevance. Diversification, an essential aspect of your own skill set.

We also need to take a stand about the number of people with no practical, real-world skills but holding “BC Certification” (because they can recite the text book) who are appearing everywhere and adding little to the relevance of BC to the business.

What are you doing to make your BC Program relevant to your organisation?

Links

Photo Credit – the control room at Alcatraz. I have a more modern typewriter in mine.

John Glenn – on the Rodney Dangerfield profession