How can you engage stakeholders in contingency planning when they are geographically dispersed?

Establishing a regular and interactive virtual meeting that does NOT heavily focus on one partner or organization. Taking turns hosting the meeting decentralizes ownership. Establishing an expectation that each participant will present information about their organization's roles and responsibilities, concerns and challenges, programs and projects that can benefit all participants. Most importantly, opportunities for open and interactive conversations keep people engaged and committed to the common goals.

There are many things to consider to answer this question, but I would first think about what I need to do now and what is essential. Leaders who understand that preparing themselves ahead of time will put themselves at a distinct advantage. Leaders who do not might as well pitch their tent and camp at Mount Delusional. What do you think you'll need to do that is practical? Read my Walkabout and Bad News Welcome articles in my Featured Section. Don't let distance get in the way. You can do this virtually. Finally, invest in yourself and those you lead now. The best time to get ready for a problem is yesterday. Remember that preparing for contingency planning involves what you share and how you work with others today.

Being geographically dispersed can often mean there are diverse circumstances and needs- ensure you make space so that those perspectives are included so that the plan fits. Also, always have a plan B and C.

Contingency planning is part of basic education. Importance of contingency has to be explained to stakeholders in a constructive manner. The implications of disruptions leading to the losses and downsizing of business should be quantified. Measurable actions need to be communication. Case study and citing examples may be better way to motivate stakeholders to adopt proper contingency planning.

A lot of foundational work, especially understanding the stakeholder landscape, should ideally be conducted during "blue skies" - times when we're not in the throes of an emergency. Engaging with stakeholders necessitates deep listening and thoughtfulness to understand their perspectives and needs thoroughly. Especially considering that priority populations often harbor mistrust towards governmental actions, the task may be even more nuanced and challenging, diverging from the typical strengths of emergency managers. A meticulous, empathetic approach towards establishing transparent communication channels and building genuine relationships can significantly amplify the efficacy and inclusiveness of contingency planning efforts.

I watched how the evacuation from Afghanistan (not run by the military or gov't) was accomplished almost completely in Slack, Signal, or other communication devices. This could be used to support planning, monitor progress, etc. A very important role you need is a national facilitator, who is well versed in collaborative tools to run this.

In my experience, the most effective coordination is having a representative from each stakeholder in the room. The room can be a physical room or a virtual room, especially when stakeholders are geographically dispersed. The type of contingency being addressed, determines who chairs the effort. As an example, in a law enforcement situation, a ranking law enforcement professional would lead. During a multi-hazard event, the lead would change as the event progressed. Egos are left at the door. An example is a suspicious ship entering a port. The Coast Guard would lead initially. When it becomes a criminal event, law enforcement shifts into the lead. As the event progresses, the lead continues to change to the most appropriate stakeholder.

Working groups are extremely important. You may want to create a charter, have an executive sponsor (very important), identify business areas/roles that will serve in the group, establish objectives, goals, purpose, and have a mission that aligns with the organizational mission. Determine how often you want to meet and what you hope to gain from these meetings. In other words, don't just meet to meet. Rotate meeting facilitators so everyone feels part of the group. I encourage leveraging continuity and technology recovery partners to plan/deliver a fun awareness program. Host webinars, lunch and learns, and have special guests like meteorologists, Homeland Security, and FEMA. Most importantly,have fun getting to know your partners!

Engaging stakeholders scattered across different locations in contingency planning entails making effective use of virtual communication tools like video conferencing and collaborative software. It's crucial to maintain ongoing communication through means like webinars, newsletters, and feedback channels to sustain their involvement. Clearly delineating roles and encouraging participation in testing exercises while securing executive sponsorship to underscore planning's significance are essential steps. Furthermore, offering training and support ensures that all stakeholders can contribute effectively from a distance.

Thankfully in Western Australia our emergency management is facilitated through a framework focussed on meaningful and prudent engagement, in preparedness and response. Emergency coordination at Local, district and state levels of government and community means the right people, organisations and community representation are converging, however what is key is to consider is single points of failure: I think of people, but also positions; if someone is unavailable when their skills are most needed, what is your contingency? I feel that as part of coordination mechanisms, continuity of services and capabilities needs just as much consideration when engaging with stakeholders.

This is very important in disaster response, for the CAP Geospatial Team we run everything within MS Teams. Every major disaster we've done for geospatial damage assessments supporting FEAM, has been done in a Teams channel and a live teams chat. We make it a requirement now that you must be in the live chat to take part. Whether its in MS Team, Zoom, Skype, or another tool, real-time collaboration is key for keeping everyone on track and providing the ability to immediately ask questions.

I remember a brilliant example of technology-enabled coordination: during the Katrina floods, The Cajun Navy were a coordinated group of community members with boats, and were able to mobilise rapidly and coordinate efficiently, enabled by a free app called Zello - which turns your phone into a two-way radio; instant two-way comms, easier than a telephone call and only needs a data connection or portable network. Infrastructure was decimated, emergency services were at their tether, so the community rose up and self-coordinated their own emergency management structure and were responsible for the rescue of over 10 thousand people during that disaster.

Since work from anywhere has been implemented across many organizations and (finally) found as an effective continuity strategy turned to a beneficial normal work opportunity, organizations can benefit from a talent pool with no boundaries, aiding resilience and increased diversity. As mentioned, there are numerous communication and collaboration tools available that provide ways to organize groups/teams, share ideas and documents, and enhance the virtual meeting experience. Learn how to maximize the capabilities of these tools to enhance stakeholder engagement and build relationships. Take a class to learn about all the features the tool offers, how to implement them and make the most out of every outreach. Have a communication plan!

Depending on each organization, there may be different security protocols to ensure federal and state laws and regulations are followed, and business proprietary processes and information are properly protected. Work with stakeholders, partners and your organization's IT office to develop a means to share planning, training, and exercise information. Some whole community members such as faith-based and volunteer partners, may not have a standardized communication platform. Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), like school districts or Municipal Utility Districts, may be resource challenged. Open conversations with common desire outcomes, supported by patience and extraordinary thinking can develop operational communication systems.

It is important to have a communication plan with any planning. Every single exercise should have a communication objective as this is the number one area that tends to need improvement in actual incidents and planned events. After every event or incident, a hot wash/after action conference (or whatever you call it) should be held as close to immediately after as possible, as timing is important to capture experiences when they are top of mind. If everyone cannot come together timely, request participants to complete a poll/questionnaire immediately after and facilitate a discussion when they can. Communication is two way where participants (stakeholders) should have the opportunity to provide feedback. Include them in your planning!

I find that opportunities to connect monthly via lunch and learns are very effective both virtual and in-person. Connecting contingency planning to current events, popular culture, and including information re: near misses have been well received in efforts I've led.

I have noticed that some participants during an exercise activity can be quite due to their actual job title and may result in them being hesitant to provide feedback for improvements. I found that surveys post exercise can (not always) encourage more honest feedback as well as follow up phone calls. Ensuring the next exercise includes some of this feedback is important to let the stakeholders know that their voice is heard - regardless of job title.

- Command and control Structure As per my experience first thing is to make a command and control structure - Making an action plan If you make an action plan it will be easy to communicate because all the stakeholders will be aware of their role and responsibilities. In the same action plan you can schedule timings or deadlines. With the help of that it will be easy to communicate. For communication part it is easy now a days. With the help of technology we have lots of options.

Many times it's a challenge knowing who the stakeholders are, who to engage and bring along with you. You can start by reviewing the organizational chart. If you can, find out if there are historical charts and see where people have moved and how the organization has changed. Sometimes history will tell you more than the current version in that it allows you to get a sense of operational changes, which were likely challenges. If you know where an organization has been you will be able to better assess program goals and who is needed on the team to obtain them.

Engaging geographically dispersed stakeholders in contingency planning can be challenging, but regular communication and collaboration are the key. Be flexible, find out what their needs are and adapt to them where possible. Use technology to your advantage to bridge the geographical gap effectively. Involve stakeholders in the planning process from the very beginning. Encourage everyone's input, and tailor the contingency plan to their specific needs. Do this and you win over alot of hearts and minds, and also save alot of headaches.

One of the micro-tactical level factors how my function (HSSE) empowers is, that you always gain an insight into a multi regional team within an organization or outside that you connect to; is by seeing them online once or twice to familiarize with each others personas. That way a face to an email or a conversation with a person, leads you towards better communication & collaboration. You can see the idea & on a very small level feel the idea develop via human interaction (at the very least).