DISASTER RECOVERY 
JOURNAL

P. O. Box 510110
St. Louis, MO 63151
(314) 894-0276 
Fax: (314) 894-7474
Internet www.drj.com 
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PUBLISHER &
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Richard L. Arnold, CBCP
richard@drj.com

SENIOR EDITOR
Janette Ballman
janette@drj.com

MANAGING EDITOR
Jon Seals
jon@drj.com

COPY EDITORS
Richard Sandhofer
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Pamela Clifton
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ADVERTISING 
Robert Arnold
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_____________

Corporate

President/CEO
Richard L. Arnold, CBCP
richard@drj.com

Vice President 
Robert Arnold
bob@drj.com

CONFERENCE COORDINATOR
Patti Fitzgerald, CBCP
patti@drj.com

CONFERENCE REGISTRAR
Merce Knese
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CIRCULATION
Laura Baugh
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INTERNATIONAL
CONTACTS
England: Thom Hetherington
Business Continuity 
Phone: 0161-237-1007
thomh@tempus.demon.co.uk

Australia: Anthony J. Harvey
Journal of Business Continuity
Phone: 0011-613-953-0055-8
fax: 0011-613-953-0528
sector@notability.com.au

Japan: Shinji Hosotsubo
Quake Japan Co., Ltd.
Phone: 03-3215-2880
fax: 03-3215-2881

Brazil: Jose Carlos Ferreira
Disaster Recovery Mercosul
Phone: 55 11 3666-9506
conc2000@uol.com.br
www.drms.com.br

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What It Takes To Build A Plan

By DAVID ZIEV

Whether you are new to the continuity planning field or an experienced planner who has implemented many programs, the one thing we all face is resistance to implementing or expanding the continuity program.
It’s a fantastic opportunity if the company you work for has made an executive decision to develop a continuity program and provides the sponsorship for that program. However, in many cases the commitment is not as strong as it should be, and the direction is not clearly communicated throughout the company. This can make it difficult to proceed.
The most frequent comment I hear from beginning continuity planners is they know what has to be done, but are having a hard time launching their program. As I talk to them about what they have done and what their biggest obstacles are, I hear sounds of exasperation and frustration creeping in.
The best advice I can share with other planners is that they must maintain a positive mental attitude. A positive mental attitude is what it takes to gain and keep the support that is necessary to build a continuity plan. When meeting co-workers to discuss preparedness or to solicit support for the planning process, it is important to keep the conversation positive and high in energy. An ice-breaking introduction is important to transition into continuity conversations. Most people do not think about a disaster or disruption to their work routine. It is best to start out by explaining how important the work of the people you are trying to solicit is, and how they are crucial to recovery success.
Because the success of a continuity planner is so heavily dependent on the support and actions of other people, I recommend reading the book, “How to Win Friends And Influence People” by Dale Carnegie. Books like this can help a planner understand the needs of other people and what it will take to gain their support.
It is imperative that continuity planners be able to overcome their own objections. Continuity planners need to have a sense of purpose as they work with peers and management to develop a plan. If there are doubts in the planner’s mind about their ability to succeed, the people they need for support might sense this and be reluctant to participate.
Be able to clearly explain exactly what your job is. If you can’t explain exactly what you are doing, how can you expect someone else to help you do it? You might want to say you are a continuity planner and it’s your job to understand the critical business functions of the company and develop plans on how to continue performing those functions even if there is a catastrophic disruption. Whatever description you use, make it clear and consistent.
The planner must be able to clearly articulate a high-level action plan to achieve results. The action plan must be broken down into smaller pieces that are recognizable and can be accomplished. If done properly, the planner will be able to explain exactly what needs to be done which makes it easier for co-workers and management to lend their support. Make sure all of the pieces in the action plan come together and can be executed.
Report on your progress to stakeholders in measurable successes. Demonstrate you are following the action plan and realizing success. The more success the planner realizes, the easier it is to gain additional support. Even if there are setbacks, report on actions that will be taken to overcome the setback.
The planner must think in terms of “win-win” scenarios as they work with peers. The planner is most likely going to work cross-functionally with many different areas, and will find there are common requirements across many organizations. A successful continuity program will be dependent on many of these areas, and the continuity planner is often the impetus to resolve corporate-wide shortcomings. This further aligns the continuity program with company-wide goals.
The continuity planner must persevere. There are going to be good weeks and bad weeks. Companies sometimes need to shift their priorities to meet changing business needs. The continuity planner might have to change the short-term program goals, but the program should never be put on hold. If it is necessary to change short-term goals, keep reporting on the program’s progress. This will help keep the program alive and make it much easier to transition back to long-term goals.
Last, but not least, be persistent. Even water can wear down the biggest mountains. The best continuity planners I have met are the ones who are persistent and have had to deal with the tough issues of keeping a program alive and moving forward.
Remember, you are not the prophet of doom and gloom; you are an optimist whose job is to think of the worst.

David Ziev is the manager of business recovery services for Siemens Medical Solutions Health Services. He is a member of the DRJ Editorial Advisory Board and has been working in the business recovery/availability field for 17 years.

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