The Need for Organisational Resilience - Chapter 2

variables, we can end up with some very complicated alternatives. How do we go about

dealing with these?

Identify the data that will help make sensible decisions. The rapid availability of sales

data, product reviews and initial customer feedback will be helpful in understanding the

market response to the launch. Similarly, ensure that your team is monitoring market

information regarding competitors.

Initial brainstorming to identify responses in each quadrant is valuable, and allows team

members to contribute ideas and opinions. This is not a one-off event, though. Scenarios

can be refined and options generated as more data become available. It is therefore a ‘living’

process as clarity is generated. It can sometimes be useful to have a ‘war room’ in which

data is collated and shared visually and where discussions can be had regarding not only

the ‘what-if’ questions, but also taking account of the new and unfolding situation at regular

intervals (E. Kutsch, Hall, and Turner 2015, 56).

Contingency Planning instead of Deterministic Planning

Thinking in multiple scenarios is a first stepping stone towards moving away from a Linear

Strategy and adopting a mindset of adaptation. Scenario planning goes hand in hand with

contingency planning − with the creation of alternative plans in order to accommodate

different scenarios. Contingency planning requires the following:

Sensitivity. It is important to remain ‘close’ to the environment, to understand even subtle

changes (e.g. consumer trends). Define trigger points that allow you to question your current

strategy as well as switching to an alternative plan.

Buy-In. To switch to an alternative plan for adapting to a changing environment is often

associated with disruption. Readying a workforce for potential transitions in ways of working

is important. This has two main aspects. First, organisational resources and capabilities

need to be dynamic. They need to be versatile, capable of serving more than one function.

Second, people need to be committed to establishing and maintaining the use of dynamic

capabilities and resources. They need to be incentivised, not to maintain the status quo, but

to adopt an alternative plan quickly.

Scepticism. People need to look beyond the adoption of an alternative plan. They need to

monitor whether a Plan B may actually reduce those dynamic capabilities and resources that

an organisation depends on if it is to adapt to a changing environment.

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