All organizations should consider the advantages of implementing a comprehensive exercise program rather than focusing on singular periodic simulation exercises. Whether they are a start-up company, an older well-established company, an organization undergoing a leadership change, or a company that is has just completed a merger, and are in the process of developing a…
When is the last time your organization conducted a cyber security tabletop exercise? Cyber security teams are busy monitoring and responding to attacks against your organization’s information technology infrastructure. Should you still be conducting tabletop exercises? The answer is yes, of course you should. Although some teams seem to be in response mode on…
In any discussion on continuity of operations, it is reasonable to ask, “Why should my organization invest in a tabletop exercise program?” While the reasons are many, some that serve as a foundation for a strategic-based approach to tabletop exercise programs include: Increased operational resilience: Operational resilience requires comprehensive knowledge of the organization;…
This is a common list of things we do throughout the tabletop exercise engagement. During this process we will: Assist in the refinement of exercise objectives in coordination with your organizations exercise coordinator Tailor the scenario to address stated exercise objectives Develop an overview of the scenario story line (a start, middle and…
How to create and sell an awkward crisis exercise scenario It’s often the case that the most severe crises that cause lasting harm to a company’s brand and valuation are internally generated. These crises are the result of wrong-doing, sometimes even outright criminal behavior, by members of the C-suite, all the way up to…
A tabletop exercise can test, assess and ultimately improve your crisis plan and your crisis response team’s performance. That is, if it’s done right. To be successful and contribute to your organization’s higher state of crisis readiness, your tabletop exercise has to convincingly simulate a crisis scenario. It has to give participants a taste…
Storytelling. Why It’s Become a Buzzword in Business From international companies like Nike, Microsoft and IBM, to small startups, many organizations now employ Chief Storytellers as part of senior management, a move that makes a lot of sense. The business of selling has grown more complicated and competitive requiring new methods of communication to engage…
Active shooter incidents are on the rise in US, and your organization is most definitely at risk. Quoting FBI statistics, the National Fire Protection Association reports that “an average of 6.4 active shooter events occurred annually in the U.S. from 2000 to 2006. From 2007 to 2013, that average more than doubled, to 16.4. From…
Simulated crisis tabletop exercises are like a flu shot: The vaccine won’t prevent the illness one-hundred percent of the time, but if you do get the flu, the vaccine will greatly reduce the illness’ severity and bring you back to health more quickly. The potential illness in your organization is, of course, a crisis….
A military background isn’t necessary to run a successful tabletop exercise or war gaming scenario. The idea of war gaming as a resource to practice strategic planning and increasing your readiness for the worst-case scenarios has been around for hundreds, if not thousands of years. It is a proven method used by organisations, the military,…