Planning on the fly, as easy as ABC.

Contingency planning is as easy as A, B, C, and as valuable to a business as it is to a professional cycling team. The ability to transition easily from one prepared strategy to another, and, ultimately, to revert to key strengths in the face of unforeseen circumstances, is critical.

Premortem thinking is an invaluable tool for Brother UK, and I was delighted to see a version of detailed contingency planning deployed by Cherie (Chez) Pridham, team owner and manager of Vitus Pro Cycling Team p/b Brother UK, at the recent Cycle 360 Manx International Stage Race. I gained a privileged view of the approach taken by Chez and her elite riders during my visit to ‘The Rock’ earlier this month, where I spent time with the athletes, mechanics and team management, in the pits, at the roadside and in the team car.

It was this last environment, an eyewitness in the passenger seat to Chez calling the shots from the wheel of a fast-moving team vehicle, that reinforced my view of the essential nature of contingency planning. Whether you’re a directeur sportif like Chez, watching a race scenario unfold in real-time and deploying the appropriate tactical response, or, like Brother UK, preparing for the known unknowns likely to occur in the commercial landscape in the event of a no-deal Brexit, the ability to deploy a planned response is essential.

ABC relates to three scenarios when planning. ‘A’ relates to what you think which actually happen, all things considered. ‘B’ represents what you would do If things when bigger or better than that, and ‘C’ is what you do if A or B doesn't happen!

A business leader and the most senior figure in a professional cycling team perform a very similar role, a point reinforced as I watched Chez move smoothly through her contingency plans in the livest of environments. A two-way radio isn’t part of my office tool kit, and Olympic champions rarely draw alongside my window and demand advice on my drive in to work, but I am well-acquainted with the responsibilities of leadership, and with the value of ensuring that everyone in an organisation knows the patterns of play.

From my studies and personal experiences, I’ve learned that organisations from the British Army to the England women’s rugby team rely on the value of an organisational autopilot. There is a mutual benefit to an organisation and the individuals within it to simply doing the basics well when earlier strategies have failed to contain an unexpected circumstance.

Speaking at one of our own leadership events, Abi Chamberlain, the former captain of the England women’s rugby team, cited a codeword during sustained periods in which play has moved beyond their control, that saw each player revert to her strongest suit, and which saw the team default to simple but effective patterns of play (referred to as their 'blanket play').

 The British Army deploy a proven leadership model called Mission Command; another ‘autopilot’ mechanism which devolves decision making in fast-moving circumstances. This is a very helpful model for businesses. What is your organisation’s ‘autopilot’? If a team member says things aren’t going well, what does going back to basics mean in your environment? Considered in terms of past consistency, what standards do you match for your business at critical times?

Professional cycling is a superb metaphor for the business activities of complex commercial organisations. Road racing is a team sport with an individual winner; an environment in which riders with specific skillsets are deployed to perform their strongest role in support of a designated leader. The directeur sportif must manage the human component to ensure the ambitions of individuals remain aligned with the goals of the team, as well as responding to a host of environmental factors, from climatic conditions to characteristics of the course. A wet day on a hilly route will cause many riders to fold; faced with the same conditions, others will excel. The DS must have a contingency for every variable.

Experienced managers like Cherie are not afraid to ask themselves tough questions. By doing so, they are already a step ahead when difficult scenarios unfold. This is second nature to Chez and her colleagues, and should be to any business. In pre-race planning, Vitus Pro Cycling Team p/b Brother UK will ask themselves detailed questions to uncover challenging scenarios and prepare contingencies. From analysis of training data to guide squad selection, to equipping volunteers with spare wheels to line areas of circuits known for causing punctures, Chez considers the most difficult outcome and plans accordingly. She is always ready with plan C.

 At Brother UK, we continually use premortem thinking to place ourselves in ‘C’ mode and to see beyond scenarios A and B. Our detailed planning for Brexit is a keen example. With premortem thinking, we have already implemented a host of different strategies designed to mitigate the impact, from strengthening supply chains, to increasing warehouse space, to increasing cash reserves, to buying additional Euro currency. We have ‘C’ planned with unflinching rigour to ensure Brother UK is as well prepared as possible for whatever known circumstances may prevail.

 We return to the Isle of Man, but not to discuss matters of sovereignty. Two victories from four stages for Ed Clancy OBE made the Cycle 360 Manx International Stage Race a memorable engagement for Vitus Pro Cycling Team p/b Brother UK, and while I enjoyed our team’s success, the planning behind the scenes impressed me as much. Preparing for unexpected outcomes is essential for businesses, as well as professional cycling teams. If the necessity is lost - in the midst of a bike race, or in the complex commercial world we inhabit - just remember your A, B, C. Your stakeholders, or team-mates, will thank you for it.