The crisis is approaching, are we prepared or are we still floating on a cloud of bliss? The German economy, as the engine for Europe, has had brilliant years with continuous economic growth for the past 10 years, but can this be sustainable?
The headlines of recent days speak for themselves, indicating otherwise:
"Germany's industry in free fall" reported by ING on August 26, 2019, and the Federal Statistical Office reports a "0.1% decline in GDP from the last quarter". Can we already define this as a crisis, or is it a regular economic cycle that repeats itself and eventually improves? Each company must answer this question for itself, as the implications vary for different industries. The extent to which these concerning news impact individual companies depends on whether the management has done its homework in recent months to counteract and take appropriate measures.
The reasons are obvious and have been known for years.
Just mentioning a few keywords: trade conflict, Brexit, diesel scandal, climate policy, and I could name directly 50 companies in your vicinity that are directly or indirectly affected. Why do some companies and industries still get hit so obviously and unprepared? Have they been too complacent, mismanaged, ignored disruptive companies?
Possibly - partially - but not only.
Global signs have changed. Long-standing alliances are in disarray, the world economy has become a plaything of individual personalities who, at their whim, can drive stock prices up and down with just one tweet, creating uncertainties.
How can one prepare for this? Is it even possible? The answer is clear and simple. YES!
Let go of the long-standing scenarios you have developed so far to position your company well. Plan more short-term and therefore be more flexible, as every new day carries the risk that somewhere in the world a new crisis hotspot may emerge, which could also affect you.
The Crisis Response
When we are called to a search dog mission, the only things we know are; where did it happen, who is missing, how many people are affected, and even that only vaguely, everything else is unknown. You cannot prepare 100% for such an event, as crucial information about the situation and safety on-site is unknown, and the development within the crisis can change very quickly. If this were not the case, we would not speak of a crisis but of a predictable event that could be handled according to standardized processes and guidelines.
For our rescue missions, we prepare with the following keywords: 
Cooperation, Coordination, Communication, Control, and Comfort zone These are the 5 C's that help us to be prepared at least 70%, in order to exclude as many events and uncertainties as possible in advance. The remaining 30% depend on the flexibility, motivation, and performance of the individual as well as the team. Of course, the right gut feeling with that typical touch of luck is also necessary to be able to react successfully intuitively. Nevertheless, these 30% are of fundamental importance for the success of the mission; if I have a demotivated team or make no decisions, the best preparation will be of no help, and I will end up in an economic disaster. Permanently prepare your employees and your company. Keeping employees motivated, flexible, and willing to perform is the order of the day, as crises do not necessarily hit a company during regular business hours, but at times when they are least expected. Comparable to a successful search dog mission on a Sunday morning at 3:23 a.m. The question is not whether crises have increased, but whether you are adequately prepared and able to handle them. Then you even have the chance to come out of the crisis stronger. I am happy to provide you with further insights and impulses from disaster management for your company. Yours, Felix WILDE with Buddy.
