How do you choose the best business resilience framework for your organization?

When choosing a business resilience framework, I always start by assessing the unique needs. Early on, I learned the hard way that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. I began by analyzing the business's biggest vulnerabilities, from supply chain disruptions to tech failures, and identified where we needed the most support. This allowed us to choose a framework that wasn’t just theoretical but practical, adaptable, and aligned with our long-term goals. The key is to be honest about where you’re at, where the gaps are, and what your organization truly needs to build sustainable resilience.

-Evaluate Current Resilience: Identify strengths and weaknesses using assessment tools. -Benchmark: Compare against standards like ISO 22301. -Prioritize Needs: Focus on the most critical aspects for your organization.

Choosing the best business resilience framework for your organization is a deeply personal journey. Begin by evaluating your current resilience levels, identifying strengths and weaknesses. Tools like the Business Resilience Health Check can help pinpoint gaps and opportunities. Benchmark your practices against industry standards such as ISO 22301 for business continuity management. Reflect on your core values and mission, and involve your team in conversations about their experiences and concerns. Identify which aspects of resilience are most crucial for your organization and prioritize them. The ideal framework will not only protect your assets but also enhance your team’s solidarity and commitment to overcoming challenges together.

-Scope: Choose based on whether you need a comprehensive, adaptive, or integrated approach. -Methodology: Match the framework's methods with your organization's processes. -Fit: Ensure it aligns with your organizational culture and specific resilience needs.

My experience has been with small- to mid-size businesses so the application of the broad resilience frameworks mentioned is outside my pay grade. However - I can state with certainty that operational resilience for these smaller businesses starts with tight cash flow management (and squirrelled-away cash reserves), and stops with good people deploying well-defined business processes. It always surprises me how few businesses have these basic things under control.

-Fit with Needs and Goals: Choose a framework that aligns with your organization's vision, goals, and specific resilience needs. -Feasibility and Costs: Consider the implementation feasibility, associated costs, and required resources. -Customization and Support: Ensure the framework can be adapted to your context while maintaining its integrity, and that you have the necessary support for successful implementation.

The steps that I follow to help my clients to build resilient cultures include: 1. Build a Program: You have to show commitment by establishing an recurring training program that delivers the needed tools and techniques to help your staff to become more resilient. 2. Reinforce Behaviors Through Coaching: Nothing helps the training stick more than coaching. If you provide your senior team with coaching following their participation in training you will help them continue to practice and develop the techniques that were taught. 3. Adjust / Refine: After several training sessions have been delivered, it's wise to survey participants and ask them if the training has made their lives better - adjust according to results. It works — try it!