How We Survived the Unexpected

We were returning from our Christmas vacation late at night on one of British Columbia's mountain highways. Rounding a corner through a steep downhill section we were suddenly confronted with a highway strewn with cars. Somehow my husband managed to steer through and around the other vehicles but because the highway was a sheet of ice we fishtailed furiously, bouncing off the median divider several times until he somehow drove the car up onto a snow bank. Thankfully the only injuries were truly minor - both to us and the car. The scene behind us was much worse – many cars had lost control and hit each other as well as the police car and tow truck. It truly was a demolition derby on ice!

Surviving the unexpected is a talent and in this situation it saved us from serious injuries. I credit my husband's superior driving skills not just to his childhood in the Canadian prairies where snow and ice are common, but also to his training as a police officer in the RCMP. He has been trained in the art of expecting situations to change and deteriorate so when it happens, as it did to us, he was able to quickly move to Plan B. He knew he had to keep control of the car and keep us pointed downhill and he knew that the tendency of the car would be to slide sideways resulting in a loss of control. So when these things happened he was prepared and was able to react appropriately. The unexpected, while it surprised us around that corner, was met with a prepared and rehearsed response that avoided a bad outcome.

At work, how often do we plan for the unexpected? The best project managers ensure their teams create contingency plans and determine in advance the mitigations they will take if things don't go well. Not everything unexpected is necessarily bad but if we aren’t prepared, the unexpected can have negative consequences. When was the last time you thought through, not just what might go wrong, but all the unexpected things that might occur to derail your projects and plans?

While I completely agree with the prudence of developing contingency plans with defined mitigations, I believe they can become formulaic and offer us false comfort. “If A happens we will respond with B.” Perhaps a better approach might be to take the lessons from the unexpected in one experience into the next. Instead of just ‘ink on paper’ responses in a contingency plan, I believe there is more for the team to learn by looking at each potential contingency and mitigation and seeing how it is similar to other situations the team has faced, either individually or as a group. Look for other instances where things changed in a similar fashion – seek out patterns you can apply and lessons which can be gleaned from other experiences. Have the team share their expertise and knowledge gained from similar occurrences and transfer the learning to your current project.

Talking about the potential for the unexpected is a good way to prepare us to respond without first trying to resist or ignore the situation. Because we have rehearsed for it by talking it through and discussing how to respond, we have taken the first steps to create a map or internal vision that helps us to manage the unexpected as if it were expected. It’s one way to survive the unexpected.

Ideas you can use

Have a dress rehearsal. As part of the planning for your next project, take some time to create a list of all the things that could go wrong. Treat this like a brainstorming activity, have some fun and get creative. Let the team’s imagination run wild and see how many things you can list – the more the merrier. Then when absolutely everything is on a list, go through it and consider each one – is it possible, probable, or unlikely? Let the team decide which ones go in the contingency plan and which ones are worth discussing in more detail. The one thing we know for sure – change will happen on your project.

Focus on doing one thing well. When we rounded the corner on that icy highway, my husband focused on one thing – keeping the car pointed downhill even while steering through the obstacles. When you encounter the unexpected, focus on the one thing you can do well that will have the most impact on the situation. It may be maintaining open, honest communication with the team or it might require a fierce focus on reducing expenses. Doing one thing well will help you maintain your confidence and your self-trust – important attributes for leaders in the midst of change.

Don’t dwell on the past, count your blessings and move on. It’s easy during times of crisis or difficulty to dwell in the past, about what might have been or ‘what-ifs’. The only way to deal with the situation is in the here and now, not in the past. You can’t change the past so stay present with a vision to the future. Support those around you to let go of the past and help them focus on the behaviours they need to move on. It’s where the future lies.

Best wishes for a safe 2009.