Disaster Recovery Journal Fall 2025

God’s House by Michael Rieger/FEMA

Why Continuity Leadership Matters More Than Ever By THOMAS MAGEE E veryone recognizes the impor tance of leadership to an orga nization. However, what does that mean? Some might say leadership comes from a posi tion. Others would define lead ership as a function of the work. The continuity manager, no matter the type of organization, has a unique oppor tunity to help their nation whether the risks of the future. Today, a person doesn’t have to research very much to see the multitude of risks confronting the nation and com panies within it. A person can stare at the map of the world and see the chance of war from one end to the other. Any con flict today – whether it comes from China, Taiwan, Iran, or Russia – would impact our land quickly and in severe ways. systems within the grid to allow for easy disruption of essential services. Nowadays, it seems everyone has their own arsenal of missiles. Who knows what the true range is of our enemies’ missiles is? If these missiles can’t hit the US they for sure will be able to hit any overseas suppliers.

Despite the definition debate everyone in discussion would defer to the Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart definition on pornography for a definition of leadership, “I know it when I see it.” I like what Sen. Nancy Landon Kassebaum said on leadership. “One person, serving a group of people can make a difference,” said Kassebaum, on CSPAN, Oct. 9, 1989.

Domestically, the threat picture for organizations looks just as frightening as overseas. Many cities show escalat ing high crime rates with each passing year. Political protests across the country seem to grow more intense and destructive with each passing month. Organizations still somehow must function through this enhanced risk picture.

Air Force Brig. Gen. Doug Wickert recently stated China has infiltrated the U.S. electrical grid. According to Wickert, China planted malware on these critical

28 DISASTER RECOVERY JOURNAL | FALL 2025