Preparing for Operational Disruption

Our Client

A Fortune 500 corporation that operates globally with extensive manufacturing and service operations, a complex supply chain, and a customer base that includes private and government entities.

The Issue

A geographically decentralized senior leadership team needed to figure out how to respond to the very realistic possibility of a major crisis. Business disruption, stock price implosion, and future freedom to operate were at stake for the company.

The Challenge

Design a realistic and escalating crisis simulation exercise that challenged the client’s senior leadership from every operational aspect and included cultural whims and global geo-political challenges.

The Opportunity

As an old economy company in a culturally unpopular industry, our client was used to being challenged by outside activists, regulators, and other disruptors. A team of senior executives, eager to train for the most disruptive of crises, made time during a week-long leadership gathering in Washington, D.C., for an intense, full-day exercise to hone their operational response skills before a real crisis struck.

The Plan

We devised a day-long interactive training for 25 executives, where a terrorist attack on foreign soil bled into their international and U.S. operations, decimating their headquarters and production line, killing and injuring staff, and creating escalating havoc for the organization’s leaders.

Beginning with team assignments based on operational functions and roles within the simulation (chairman’s office, human resources, finance, communications, supply chain, etc.), as the participants addressed one crisis event or element, another challenge was introduced. Using multimedia and all forms of real-time communication, our expert trainers continually challenged the participants.

The simulations were divided into three sections: a minor problem, a major problem, and a catastrophe—all related to an initial catalyst. As each section unfolded, many unique details were introduced within each of the three sections, providing a lively exchange. After each section, there was a group debriefing to critique performance and identify challenges before moving on to the next element.

To conclude the training, we held a free-form discussion that allowed the leadership team to address any other observations or issues the simulation uncovered.

The Result

A customized operational challenge and team-building exercise united a diverse global corporate leadership team that functions in different offices and roles, ultimately preparing them for a real potential crisis.