Disaster Recovery Journal Winter 2022

1. What is the BMC program doing now that provides value? 2. What should the BCM program begin doing that provides value? 3. What am I/we doing to provide value to the organization, every single day? What you should be striving for is dem onstrating that VOI = increased overall organizational resilience! Start with that first question: what is the BMC program doing now to pro vide value? For me, this is what I call a whiteboard activity. Pull together your team – and if you are a solo department, others who you work with – to brainstorm ideas about the program, deliverables, and value. Here are some suggestions: n Establish goals for the whiteboard session. n Set a timeline for the session. n Give everyone on your team a homework assignment. – Bring to the session at least 10 ways the program provides value. n Create the environment for success. – Be prepared at the start of the n Write down and/or sketch out every idea. Value on Investment (VOI) Suggestions to Explore I strongly encourage you to really dig into the concept of VOI. To help get started on your brainstorming, let me offer at least eight ways you and your program deliver VOI every day: 1. Regulatory/contractual compliance. 2. Competitive advantage. 3. Brand and reputation protection. 4. Risk identification. 5. Operational improvement. meeting with sketchpads, sticky notes, colored markers, or a large amount of whiteboard space for everyone involved.

was developed by the Gartner Group and is defined as the “intangible assets which contribute heavily to an organization’s performance.” These intangible assets include knowledge, processes, organi zational structure, and ability to collabo rate. VOI is the measure of the intangible benefits of a project or an activity and can include aspects of ROI. Shifting to a VOI approach instead of an ROI approach provides the necessary forward-thinking framework for scoping, prioritizing, and initiating continuity proj ects. For example, VOI seeks to measure the idea of creating organizational resil ience and: n Ties planning outcomes to increased employee skills. n Creates value through collaborative planning and learning at every level of the organization. VOI measures the total value of “soft,” or intangible benefits derived from con tinuity initiatives, in addition to those “hard” benefits measured by ROI. Key things to keep in mind are: n VOI is subjective and difficult to measure with the same precision as ROI. n A VOI approach is critical to encourage funding for continuity activities and the success of these efforts. We aren’t the only professionals who struggle to demonstrate value. There are many other businesses and sectors work ing to reframe the discussion:

points and deepen the discussion. This is critically important not only for your program’s success but to help enrich your career and capabilities. It can move you from being a planner to a leader in the organization. Think Like an Octopus Stop and think about this: Because of who we are, the work we do, we know so much about an organization and can con nect with groups and departments which are struggling and have needs for infor mation and understanding. We know a lot about other departments (think BIA, BCP, CM, DR, etc.). We also can break down silos between groups, departments, and individuals. Because of the widespread engagement of BCM, we can help others (executives, managers, employees) con nect all the dots. What are you waiting for? Start brain storming, build your list of VOI qualities, and start to think octopus! Closing I encourage all of us in the BCM pro fession to start talking about this in real time. Work together with colleagues to develop a new approach to how we talk about our work and collaborate with each other. We can build a phenomenal list of qualities and values which BCM deliv ers every day. Together, we can create a brand-new story. v Since 1982, EMSS has provided consultation and speak ing services to clients on five continents. Phelps is a fre quent speaker at international continuity conferences and is consistently one of the top-rated speakers in her field. She is known for her approachable and entertaining speak ing style and ability to take complex topics and break them into easily digestible and understandable nuggets. She is the author of four books, all available on Amazon: • “Crisis Management: How to Develop a Powerful Program.” • “Cyberbreach: What If Your Defenses Fail? Designing an Exercise to Map a Ready Strategy.” • “Emergency Management Exercises: From Response to Recovery.” • “Emergency Management Exercises: From Response to Recovery Instructors Guide.” Regina Phelps is an internationally recog nized thought leader and expert in the field of crisis management, pandemic and conti nuity planning, and exercise design. She is the founder of EMS Solutions Inc, (EMSS).

n Associations. n Conferences.

n Health services. n Higher education. n NGOs.

n Technology. n Think tanks. n Wellness programs (health, nutrition, exercise). n Any organization that doesn’t have “tangible” results to note. Change the Conversation Your job is to change the conversation. Start with answering three questions:

6. Knowledge capture. 7. Increased robustness. 8. Deeper knowledge.

I first encourage you to do your own brainstorming and build your own list. Then, take my ideas and add yours to explore them and build out the bullet

12 DISASTER RECOVERY JOURNAL | WINTER 2022