[CM] [ISO] Training, Validation and Learning from Crises [R 9.5 - 9.6]

ISO 22361:2022 Training, Validation and Learning from Crises 9.5 to 9.6

Under Requirement 9, "Training, Validation and learning from crises".  Here, ISO 22361 elaborates on "9.5 Validation" and "9.6 Evaluating and Learning".

Training and Learning from Crises

Enhancing validation and learning in crisis management involves two crucial components: validation and evaluating/ learning. Validation encompasses a range of approaches, including exercises, peer reviews, and external scrutiny, to ensure that crisis management capabilities meet defined expectations.

These activities validate existing strategies and uncover areas for improvement, with top management support crucial for demonstrating organisational commitment to resilience. Evaluating and learning, on the other hand, involves post-exercise debriefings and analysis to identify deficiencies and constructively translate lessons learned into tangible improvements.

Post-crisis reviews should focus on assessing decisions' defensibility rather than correctness, fostering a culture of responsible decision-making across the organisation.

Continuous improvement processes, including ongoing training and exercises, are essential for building team capability and individual skills while fostering a culture of openness and accountability.

Through these measures, organisations can fortify their resilience and readiness to navigate any crisis with confidence and agility.

Enhancing Validation and Learning in Crisis Management

In the fast-paced world of crisis management, ensuring that your organisation is prepared to handle any unforeseen event is paramount.

The effectiveness of your crisis management capabilities relies heavily on the validation of your strategies and the ability to learn from past experiences. Let's delve into two critical aspects: Validation and Evaluating/ Learning.

Validation: Building Assurance in Crisis Management Capabilities

Validation is the cornerstone for ensuring that your crisis management capabilities align with defined expectations. It encompasses a range of approaches, including exercises, peer reviews, external scrutiny, and various techniques such as simulations and red teaming. These activities not only validate existing strategies but also unearth areas for improvement.

Exercises play a pivotal role in validation, allowing organisations to rehearse responses, assess personnel readiness, and confirm the efficacy of arrangements.

However, validation extends beyond exercises to encompass real-world crisis responses, where validation evidence should be recorded and disseminated to enhance readiness and resilience.

Top management's visible support for validation policies underscores the organisation's commitment to resilience. Leaders demonstrate that resilience is integral to the organisation's core business by articulating, approving, and supporting these policies.

Evaluating and Learning: Turning Insights into Action

Evaluating crisis management effectiveness goes hand in hand with learning and improvement. Post-exercise debriefings and analysis provide opportunities for self-reflection and honest appraisal of performance.

It's imperative to identify deficiencies constructively rather than resorting to cover-ups that may compromise organisational integrity.

The exercise plan should include robust debriefing sessions leading to actionable insights. Lessons learned from exercises should be translated into tangible improvements, with an action plan for implementation.

Subsequent evaluations validate these improvements, enhancing crisis management capabilities continually.

Post-crisis reviews should focus on assessing decisions' defensibility rather than correctness. A defensible decision is necessary, proportionate, legal, ethical, and aligns with organisational values.

This expectation should be ingrained across the organisation to foster a culture of responsible decision-making.

Continuous Improvement: The Path Forward

The results of the validation and learning activities should culminate in increased team capability, individual skills, and heightened awareness. Training and exercising should be viewed as continual improvement processes, with exercises designed to challenge and stimulate growth.

Summing Up ...

By embracing validation and learning as integral components of crisis management, organisations can fortify their resilience and readiness to navigate crises.

Through a culture of openness, accountability, and continual improvement, crisis management professionals can confidently and agilely steer their organisations through turbulent times.

More Information About Crisis Management Blended/ Hybrid Learning Courses

To learn more about the course and schedule, click the buttons below for the  CM-300 Crisis Management Implementer [CM-3] and the CM-5000 Crisis Management Expert Implementer [CM-5].

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