Designing for Disruption

Lori R. Hodges, Director of Emergency Management, Larimer County Colorado

Lori R. Hodges, Director of Emergency Management, Larimer County Colorado

The emergency management field is going through an identity crisis. For many years, the field was response-driven, where emergency managers came from the ranks of emergency services agencies. Our environment is different today. Emergency managers are being asked to manage crises such as the opioid epidemic, migrant resettlement, and climate adaptation. The FEMA administrator recently called us wicked problem solvers, working through challenging problems that have no easy solutions. Disasters are also changing – there are more partners, larger affected populations, and more possibilities for widescale disruption or chaos. All of this is going on as our global environment is becoming more interconnected and interdependent. Meanwhile, emergency management organizations continue using models from the 1960s civil defense era.

It is past time for a change in strategy for how we can manage and lead in crisis and disaster situations. This can be done in two ways: 1) business innovation strategies and 2) complex adaptive systems design. In looking at ways in which organizations create business strategy, how they are successful at innovation, and how they manage change, a few themes developed. These include such things as the willingness to take risks, enhancing internal and external partnerships, mentoring, and horizontal leadership structures. These are some of the same lessons learned by looking at complex adaptive systems. If we are no longer working to solve simple or even complicated problems, then we need to stop using models that cater to those approaches. Complexity theory is about dynamic systems – an environment that is constantly changing, with a large number of players interacting in that environment and multiple interdependencies. With this in mind, we should take lessons learned from innovation and complex adaptive systems to change the field of emergency management and, arguably, government as a whole.

"Experimentation leads to better overall solutions and allows for innovation within a company or government agency."

Open Systems – The days of organizations with a strong chain of command and vertical hierarchy with information only moving up and down are in the past. In order to innovate and solve complex problems, information has to be able to flow through an open system. This includes both internal and external relationships that drive information. Authority structures are still required, but management must look at how to move from a strict vertical hierarchy to include a horizontal one when appropriate. A hybrid approach would allow for both the authority structure required for government operations along with the collaborative structure necessary to solve complex problems.

Adaptability– Systems need to be created with adaptability in mind. We cannot predict what might happen because there are too many variables and inputs. Even good plans will fail. The government as a whole must learn to be more flexible and must be able to adapt to our new environment in order to thrive. This philosophy or culture must start at the very top and be ingrained in every activity until it becomes second nature.

Plan for the Unknown – We must stop planning for only the things we know and start planning for the unknown. The way this is done is through 1) What-if scenarios and 2) consequence management planning. Instead of focusing on the hazard we know, concentrate on the disruptions that might be caused by that hazard. For example, a cyber attack taking down a government system may be a known threat. We have plans for this. But what about the consequences of that outage? Perhaps it is near the beginning of the month, and now people who depend upon government assistance programs cannot get the money that provides life-saving care. Having people available to look at the consequences and create What-If scenarios will help the jurisdiction better prepare for the consequences instead of just the hazard itself, making it more resilient overall.

Allow Failure – Most of us learn early in our careers that failing is not an option, but when we work with complex systems, and we wish to innovate to solve wicked problems, we must create a culture where failure is not only possible but is encouraged. Experimentation leads to better overall solutions and allows for innovation within a company or government agency. This is where strong mentorship comes in. In order for people to fail well, they need the right leadership in place to encourage them to keep moving forward. What changes can be made from the lessons learned that will create a new way forward? Mentoring your team will help to create unimaginable success.

Design for Disruption –To change from a fixed model with strict lines of authority, linear processes, and an inability to shift course quickly, each process within an emergency management organization must be designed with disruption in mind. Taking lessons from complex adaptive systems and from innovative business processes is a good start. To be best positioned for the future, the emergency management field must change – and so must government operations.

cyber attack