Contingency Planning Prevents Disasters

Be prepared for the worst. Most of us have come across this principle and realized its importance only after facing the tough consequences of not being ready for contingencies. Planning is an important step in any type of management. As time flies by, none of us is sure of what happens in the near future. Trivial mistakes can cost us dear both in the short and long term. Hence it is always advisable to plan for contingencies.

Ignorance or indifference towards contingencies can prove harmful due to the following reasons.

• We are often at crossroads when something unexpected happens. We tend to waste time while trying to understand why a particular thing has happened. It is very late by the time we realize the importance of doing something to better the situation.
• Even if we try to do something, we often end up making wrong decisions. This is due to the lack of knowledge and analysis of the situation. Most situations can be expected, simulated and prevented just by applying a little amount of thought.
• Likewise, we tend to get disheartened at the slightest deviation in our plans. This negativity reflects in our further steps where fear and worry come to the fore. More mistakes might occur.
• While working in teams, the blame game begins as soon as there is a discrepancy in the execution of a task. This demoralizes the team members. Team cohesiveness also declines.
  

There are a few nuances of contingency planning that can help us prevent the big disasters.

• Add flexibility to your plans. This gives leeway to incorporate sudden action plans to deal with exigencies. The easiest way to add flexibility is to add more time to each activity that you plan to execute. If a particular activity takes fifteen minutes to complete, you can allot or assign thirty minutes to check it thoroughly and deal with any unexpected situations.
• Develop the habit of spontaneity. Artists are revered everywhere because of their spontaneity. Despite the fact that stage artists do a lot of preparation and rehearsals before the actual performance, they are always ready and active with spontaneity that helps them face any untoward challenges at the exact moment of truth.
• Foresee potential problems and come up with creative solutions. We often brand people who try to foresee problems as doomsayers, but fail to recognize that such an attitude just makes us prepared for the worst. Apply creativity to prepare solutions that help both in the short term and long term. Discuss with experience people in the field and use their advice as the basis to prepare your won creative solutions to problems.
• Never ignore the trivial aspects. As you begin executing your plans, it is essential to concentrate on each trivial aspect. Experts often state that trivial mistakes lead to dangerous consequences. Focus on these aspects while carefully executing the important tasks at hand.
• Ultimately, you need to remain calm and confident during the entire process of execution of your plans. If you lose heart at a minor deviation, it leads to many misconceptions that can entirely derail the execution process.

Experience helps you refine your planning process to include contingency measures on your lists. Managers and executives often learn it the hard way to be prepared for the worst. Therefore, begin today and plan for any contingencies that might occur in your way towards reaching goals.