Are you struggling with where to start your crisis preparations? You’re not alone. Download my thoughts on how to win in crisis for free.
Crisis management is so much more than plane crashes. In a troubled world, crises loom all over.
Yes, I was involved in airline crisis management in my past airline career. I also gained much crisis experience in my 20+ years of active reserve duty at the Swiss Armed Forces. Real-life air rescue operations, assistance operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, and many exercises to defend the country in times of increased threats.
As an IT entrepreneur, I have to battle my own entrepreneurial crises now and then: Software outages, critical bugs, medical cases with employees, or the odd financial bottleneck.
As a homeowner, I have invested heavily in preparedness for adverse times: Solar panels on the roof, a solar battery, and a rainwater tank. Yes, I was often laughed at and called a prepper. Until the energy crisis struck after the start of the war in Ukraine, when people suddenly started asking me for my advice on increasing resilience at home. Even people who used to laugh at me in the good old times.
Am I a prepper?
Am I a pessimist?
Am I crazy?
You can call me whatever you want; I don’t care. I prefer being prepared rather than sorry.
What Can Go Wrong?
In today’s world, there is a lot that can go wrong. It’s not just the large things like climate change or the return of war to Europe. For example, think of the following scenarios:
- What if your local bank were to close down?
- What if OpenAI stopped serving your country?
- What if the power supply stopped in the next winter?
- What if a cyber weapon escaped accidentally?
These are just a few examples. Laugh at me, call me whatever you want. The risks behind those scenarios are higher than you might think.
What Can You Do?
Crisis management starts in your head. It starts with accepting that the good times are over. Once you have aligned your mind, start developing a crisis attitude.
If you’re below the age of 40 and a Westerner, you have never actively witnessed tough times. You can’t be blamed; it’s not your fault you were born after 1985. But you will learn a few new things you’ve never seen before in the tough times ahead.
If you’re above the age of 40 and a Westerner, you have probably forgotten how tough times were back in the old days, because it’s convenient to get used to cozy situations.
After 30 years of endless party, talking about crisis is still frighteningly uncommon. If you do, you will earn strange looks, stupid comments, and feel you’re constantly swimming against the current. Don’t worry. You’re doing the right thing.
Another thing you will need to learn is to do more with less. We had almost zero resource constraints in the last 30 years, and this is about to change for good. So finding creative solutions on how to cope in tough times will be a core aspect of developing a crisis attitude.
Last but not least, you’re not alone. Starting with yourself is great, but soon after that, you should start building a community. Nobody can do it all alone in times of crisis.
Do You Need Help Getting Started?
Are you struggling with where to start? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. I have summarized my thoughts on crisis management in an eBook you can download for free.
Happy reading!
