If you wait until you’re in trouble before considering alternative options you’re not so much developing Contingency Plans as developing a Plan. Leaving it that late will inevitably mean your options have been restricted and any incremental value you might have got out of considering different scenarios will have been lost.
Developing contingency plans allows you to explore alternative futures, to prepare for the unexpected. Once the seeds have been planted, they can grow quietly in the background, reducing fear as they continually provide you with alternative courses of action.
And when something goes awry, you will already be prepared with a response.
It’s not good fortune that strong managers are rarely caught by surprise. They continually look ahead, considering how the situation might play out and the potential impacts on them. Rather than focusing straight ahead, hoping for the best, they dedicate time and energy to developing plans that will never be put into action.
Whether it’s informally, through independent reflection, or formally by engaging the wider team, Contingency Planning can consistently make the difference between success and failure. Embrace it!
Paul's Blog 