What do you do if your career in Emergency Management lacks resilience and adaptability?

In the field of Emergency Management, learning, sharing experiences, and building connections are vital components that contribute to effective crisis response. Professionals continually seek to enhance their skills and knowledge through education and training, while also sharing their experiences to improve collective understanding and readiness. Building connections with stakeholders fosters collaboration and coordination during emergencies. Motivation for a career in Emergency Management often stems from a desire to make a positive impact on communities in times of crisis, driven by a commitment to saving lives and promoting resilience.

-One thing I've found useful is continuing to seek education and mentorship. There is always someone who has been around longer with more experience and new skills/tools that lead to positive advancements in the industry. Staying ahead of issues is the best way to address issues.

In order to excel in emergency management one needs to keep on assessing the skills. It aids in knowing which area needs improvement and action plans accordingly. For example if one is lacking in depth knowledge on business Continuity then improvement plan can be made and act upon. Without regular assessment it is difficult to grow further.

If you feel that your career in emergency management lacks resilience and adaptability, there are several steps you can take to improve 1. **Self-assessment**: Reflect on your current strengths and weaknesses 2. Training and Development**: Consider taking courses 3. Seek Feedback**: Reach out to colleagues, supervisors, or mentors for feedback how you can improve your resilience and adaptability 4. **Practice Mindfulness**: Mindfulness techniques can help you build resilience by enhancing your ability to stay present, focused, 5. **Embrace Change**: Be open to change and view challenges 6. **Build a Support Network**: Cultivate a strong support network 7. **Self-Care**: Prioritize self-care practices 8. **Set Goals**: Establish clear goals

Self assessment and networking, feedback from colleagues are the key attributes that I will improve in emergency management.

Emergency Management is a “lifelong learning” field, or it should be. We collectively attend a lot of classes, but do we really learn anything? How often are the classes you sign up for in the same functional area as the last few? Being honest, are they all in an area that you “enjoy,” or are good at? How many are purely for chasing that next certification? Try to take classes outside of your normal lane. Not a fan of the Recovery phase, sign up! COOP not your thing, take those COOP classes. I recently took a Decon class at CDP, because I have a fear of hazmat (long story). I learned a lot. We have to actively seek out those opportunities though.

Here's what I would recommend: Continuous Learning: Stay updated with the latest trends, techniques, and technologies in Emergency Management through ongoing education and training programs. This ensures adaptability to evolving situations. Seek Mentorship: Connect with experienced professionals in the field who can provide guidance and support. Learn from their experiences and insights on how to overcome challenges and enhance resilience.

Continuous learning is key to maintaining resilience in your Emergency Management career. Look for training programs that focus on the latest best practices and emerging threats. Whether it's attending workshops, enrolling in certification courses, or pursuing an advanced degree, enhancing your education will equip you with fresh perspectives and innovative strategies. This proactive approach to professional development not only strengthens your adaptability but also demonstrates your commitment to staying ahead of the curve

Continous learning is the key to success in every division. When it comes to emergency management continous learning is vital. Professional needs to hone, enhance existing skills and learn new skills. All of this can be achieved with continous learning. It is a lifelong process. One can join industry newsletters to start with to get current news on the trends and information about new technology in the field. Further collaboration with fellow emergency management professionals adds value and knowledge sharing.

Adding skills first and foremost makes you more of an asset to the organization. Secondly, it gives you more options and the ability to branch out in your career. Having those additional skills and abilities will open up the market for you to grow in your chosen field of work.

I feel this question begs the concept "I am too old to change too young to retire." I would say network and find a gig that is in need of your strengths. If you lack adaptability, it means you have stopped buying into the operational picture. Or feel the more things change, the more they stay the same. Play to your strengths.

Ive told my past students that EM is best summed up as “I know a guy!” Being an introvert in this field is tough, you have got to meet people, particularly people who can be or can provide resources that you cannot. Also, try to meet and spend time with people smarter or more experienced than you are. It will pay dividends.

Friendly Atmosphere: Team work and cordial relationship among colleagues and under command plays and important role in achieving these goals. Same way availability of Top management to their employees is another important aspect of achieving the goals please

Networking is the biggest and most helpful thing in any profession. First starting off in any community of professionals it will seem massive. Always casting the net out to meet new people will create opportunities down the road. Every. Single. Time. These will be the same individuals that will give you the lessons you need before you learn the hard way.

Build a Support Network: Surround yourself with a supportive network of colleagues, friends, and family who can provide encouragement, feedback, and assistance during tough times.

Take those opportunities that others wont. Sign up for the EMAP Assessments in points unknown. GO on those EMAC missions. Volunteer with non-profits that serve at-risk populations. Submit papers or speeches for conferences. You have got to put yourself out there if you want to be up there!

If your career in emergency management lacks resilience and adaptability, it's crucial to focus on developing these skills. Look for training programs, workshops, or certifications that specifically target resilience and adaptability in crisis situations. Additionally, seek mentorship from experienced professionals who can provide guidance and share their strategies for handling unexpected challenges. Continuously learning and refining your skills will help you become more effective in your role.

I've often been encouraged to carefully balance knowledge and experience: having too much of one and not enough of the other could mean you are functionally illiterate in your ability to solve problem sets and manage emergencies. Look at real world examples of emergencies and how they were responded to and resolved, along with what was not done as well as it could have been. Additionally, look to inject yourself into any opportunities to be involved in emergency management: preparedness activities get you thinking about contingencies, whereas response activities get you the lived experiences. Recovery activities assist you to have an appreciation of the human element of emergencies: the people, the problems and the promises.

Reflect and Learn: Regularly reflect on experiences, both successes, and failures, to extract valuable lessons. Use these insights to refine strategies and enhance resilience for future challenges. Stay Flexible: Remain open-minded and flexible in response to unexpected situations and changing circumstances. Adapt plans and strategies as needed to effectively manage emergencies.

Self reflection can be scary. It’s important though, to look back on and do an AAR (so far) on your journey. What went right and what could have gone better? Where do I make a change to get to that better? Make time to ask yourself these and many other questions.

Innovation make one's job interesting. One should innovate more to find best solution to the complex issues. By innovation different ways to get the issues resolved can be achieved. Innovation assist in gaining more experience in the industry which lead to growth.

Read and research more in the particular areas that you may be interested in most. Always remember to keep learning and growing your skill set.

Seek opportunities for achieving an advanced degree or diversify the sources of professional education. The result will be a widened perspective that will drive innovation.

Invest in training and education, seeking mentorship, practicing stress management, embracing change, reflecting on experiences, building a support network, and staying informed, you can strengthen these essential qualities. Improving resilience and adaptability not only enhances your effectiveness in managing emergencies but also contributes to your professional growth and ability to support your team and community effectively.

This is a rather silly question: 'careers' do not lack resilience or adaptability but people and organizations do! So perhaps this would have been a better question: "What can people and organizations in Emergency Management do to increase their resilience?" [If you want the best answers, ask the right question]

I would suggest to spend time and invest in sharpening the skills which are required in emergency management. By doing professional certifications like CPP, PSP or PCI as per industry and job roles are recommended. By doing certifications it shows your commitment to the industry and continous learning. One should also explore the cyber security realm which is vital in today's time as more and more adaptability is on cyber world. ChatGPT and AI is making an impact in all the sectors. By learning new skills it also Keeps you one step ahead of all.