Your event's success hinges on a key team member falling ill. How do you ensure their vital role is covered?

One of the hallmarks of a proper business continuity plan is defining orders of succession, those being the established sequence of individuals who will assume leadership roles or take over specific responsibilities in the event that key personnel are unavailable or incapacitated. This ensures that critical functions continue without disruption. This runs parallel with delegation of authority, assigning specific powers and responsibilities to designated individuals to make decisions and take actions during an emergency or disruption. This ensures that critical functions are maintained and organizational objectives are met even when key leaders are unavailable. FEMA runs outstanding free training for this as part of their continuity program.

At a major wedding event, our lead coordinator fell ill two days before the event. Fortunately, we had cross-trained our team. Saumya, our assistant coordinator, was well-versed in the lead’s tasks. She seamlessly took over vendor communications and timeline management. Thanks to our thorough documentation, she quickly accessed all necessary information. We redistributed some of Saumya’s usual tasks among other team members to allow her to focus on critical responsibilities. The event proceeded smoothly, demonstrating the effectiveness of our cross-training approach. This experience reinforced the value of preparing team members for multiple roles to ensure continuity in any situation.

To ensure coverage for a key team member, create a detailed contingency plan, cross-train other team members on essential tasks, and establish clear communication channels to quickly address any issues that arise.

Cuando el éxito de un evento depende de un miembro clave del equipo que se enferma, es crucial tomar medidas rápidas y efectivas para cubrir su papel vital. Identificar un sustituto o suplente: Mantén una lista de personas en el equipo que puedan estar familiarizadas con las responsabilidades y funciones del miembro enfermo. Esto puede ser útil para identificar rápidamente quién puede ocupar su lugar si es necesario. Documentar roles y responsabilidades: Asegúrate de que todas las funciones y responsabilidades del miembro clave estén documentadas de manera clara y detallada. Esto facilitará la transición y permitirá que otra persona pueda asumir el rol temporalmente sin problemas.

Don't wait for a team member to fall ill before addressing potential gaps in your event planning process. It's essential to ensure that every member of your team is cross-trained and capable of handling various tasks, even if they may not perform these tasks as efficiently as the primary staff member.

Communication will play a vital role in your planning. If a key player gets ill its most likely that they aren’t feeling well in the days upcoming to the event. As a manager you should be able to pick up the signals if not check explicitly with the team and do this frequently in the days before the event making sure everyone feels fit and rested. In case the key player might feel a bit sore or under the weather you might want to double down on your back up plan or the replacement team member.

Siempre hay que tener un plan a, b, c y d. Un evento es como la vida todo puede pasar. La clave sin un miembro Clave se enferma y la comunicación al resto del equipo se ha realizado de forma exitosa, no correrá ni gin riesgo la perfecta ejecución del evento . Pero el mensaje con el que tenemos que quedarnos es que todas las partes involucradas en el evento deben estar informadas de todos los detalles para una buena ejecución, se enferme o no un miembro clave.

I believe that leading by example is vital, especially in challenging situations. It's important to never feel too high up to roll up your sleeves and work alongside your team. I've found that the best way to lead is by taking the time to understand the processes, roles, and challenges that team members face. While I may not be the subject matter expert in every area, it's crucial to demonstrate a willingness to step in and support the team when it matters most. This approach not only helps maintain morale but also builds trust and respect, ensuring that everyone feels valued and motivated to contribute to the success of the event

This may be an obvious one, but don't put yourself in this situation in the first place. Often times issues arise because we don't take the time to gain the awareness required to look at what is required to put on an event. I'm reminded about the failed party on the island story from a few years ago, and have seen numerous launched explode for similar reasons. I like backwards design to build my timelines and what needs doing. Note that I say what and not who. You have to know what is required over the greater scope. If you rush too much and don't ask the questions that is when you tend to get into trouble.