Reducing the Gap Between Decisions and Actions

Developing a Plan Activation Checklist

I once worked for a Marine commander who would watch units as they gathered on the parade deck and prepared to head out to the field for training. The units that looked disciplined and had a clear, orderly plan rarely got a visit from him once they hit the field. But the units that appeared disorganized, chaotic, or unprepared? They received extra attention from the boss.

His reasoning was simple. If he couldn’t trust a unit to start their training in a prepared manner, he questioned whether they’d put in the time and effort to plan a purposeful, effective training program as a whole. They’d overlooked a critical first step—getting there. He wanted leaders in those units to understand that disciplined execution in the initial stages of a training was just as crucial as achieving the ultimate objective. During combat operations, “getting out the door” is often a fast-paced and high-stakes moment that requires thoroughness, from ensuring all essential resources are packed to making sure everyone knows their role. It must be well planned and well executed in order to set the rest of the event up for success.

The same dynamic holds true in disaster response.

How well an organization transitions from “blue sky operations” to “grey sky operations” and activates its emergency response plans can have a significant impact on the overall success of the response. Organizations may not know exactly when they’ll need to activate their plans, but they can be sure they will at some point. And preparing for that transition is key.