Prepare for Every Eventuality

One of the jobs of every leader is to anticipate trouble and make plans to answer it when it comes. I want to urge you to do this when it comes to the security of your firm.

We’ve all heard the news recently of the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Colleyville, Texas. A gunman entered the Beth Israel building during a service, took hostages, and a standoff then ensued with authorities. It lasted for hours.

Two things saved the day. The rabbi, Charlie Cytron-Walker, had insisted upon a security plan for his people. There had been training sessions so that everyone knew the exit plan. Why? In part because Beth Israel is a gathering of faith in America and such gatherings are targets these days. Also, they are Jewish and thus obvious targets of the anti-Semitism that is on the rise today. So, they prepared.

The whole affair ended with every member safe thanks to the bravery of Rabbi Charlie. When the gunman was distracted, the rabbi threw a chair at him having already signaled the other two hostages. Then, the three synagogue members ran to safety together. Soon after, SWAT teams entered the building and killed the resistant gunman. Thank God for the courage of Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker.

Now, I recount this because I am a firm believer that every organization with physical facilities must have emergency procedures in place. Trouble must be anticipated. Plans must be laid. Trainings need to take place. Facilities might need to be altered. You get the idea.

What happens if a gunman enters your workplace or place of worship? What about a fire that starts there, or there, or over there? What do we do if Jeff gets his hand caught in his machine? What if Carly has a heart attack? How do we respond to a tornado? A flood? An active shooter in our area of town?

I spent some years as a bodyguard and one of the lessons I absorbed most deeply was the power of advanced planning. Our team leader was brilliant at this. We would think through nearly every step of a trip—planning entrances, exits, which elevators to use, what configuration to use entering an arena, and a thousand other matters. All in advance, all imagining every scenario, all preparing for every eventuality.

I never faced anything I wasn’t prepared for and this wasn’t because I was a seasoned professional. Far from it. It was because our team leader knew how to anticipate trouble and train his team. Our protectees all died of old age, I’m delighted to say, and it was because someone dared to envision the worst and make plans.

Now, regardless of the size of your firm, sit down alone first and then with people and envision every bad scenario. Make simple plans that answer that moment. Then, train your people. You might think you will make them nervous by bringing up horrible possibilities. Trust me, in our day and age, they are already thinking about horrible possibilities. They just need someone to lead in the face of the evils that may come.

This is what leaders do. You are capable and called, so please get to it. Also, remember that your local police and rescue squads are usually happy to consult and happy to hold seminars for your team. For those of you with larger firms, there are private security companies you can hire.

Don’t neglect this out of fear. I want you to thrive and this requires that you protect what you are building from the assaults of this life.