Hone Your Triage Process
If your disruption budget allows for nothing else, allow for this: a structured intake process to triage red-button issues. The process should accommodate early identification of issues that may precipitate an imminent or future risk of business disruption even if they are not related to current projects or corporate strategies. The rapid onset and pervasive availability of GenAI tools inside and outside corporate boundaries are good examples of such a development.
To be effective, triage must do the following:
- Allow for measured responses.
The objective of triage is not to solve the problem on the spot. The objective is to quickly determine what level of response is merited and on what timeline(s). To that end, a triage plan may specify short-term stopgaps and longer-term milestones or no action at all.
When done well, triage creates an appropriately responsive plan aligned with a realistic assessment of the risk/reward horizon. Is an immediate response required? If so, of what kind? A simple acknowledgment? Preliminary legal or corporate guidance? Something else? What factors may necessitate a ramp-up in the response? Can this be addressed in context of existing programs/projects? If not, what must be removed from the current project list to accommodate the new work?
- Have a mechanism to “poll the audience.”
The ability to quickly differentiate between a fire and a fire drill is critical. Establishing a network of experts that can be quickly polled on emergent issues is one way to cast a quick, wide net. To be effective, include resources across functions and levels of the organizational hierarchy. A solicitation of initial impressions pulled from a broad array of sources allows for a more nuanced yet measured “gut check.” In this context, saying something is not the point; encouraging those without knowledge or an opinion on the topic to say so is a key to success.
- Clearly communicate decisions.
For problems with broad visibility or a wide impact radius, more information is typically better. Let the organization know what the issue at hand is, how it is being assessed, by whom, and when to expect further information. Include any transitional guidance or resources as well. Specify mechanisms for public input, if appropriate. If an issue is downgraded, stand firm but clearly state why.
- Don’t reward poor planning.
There is no shortage of issues that feel (or are) emergent to the problem owner. If not modulated appropriately, your triage process will quickly degrade into the default entry point for addressing rote issues or become the get-out-of-jail-free card for those suffering from a basic failure to plan.
To avoid this trap, triage must ensure triage is merited. Decisions on-the-fly do not work here. Utilize pre-established criteria to categorize incoming requests. Have a mechanism to quickly screen and route non-emergent issues to the proper authority (i.e., intake queue, project owner, or whatever the case may be).
Even for issues that meet the triage threshold, the right answer will not always be to drop everything. Risk-adjusted delays and denials will be required. This is easier said than done, but the only alternatives are to address requests on a first-come, first-served basis or to stick solely to preset project priorities no matter what happens, no exceptions allowed. This is, of course, realistic nowhere.