John Salter’s Blog

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  • Risk Trends
    Headlines reflect a disarming lack of confidence.
    In this Blog I have selected some key themes from the Insight Report. Illustrating them with images from the report.
    Extreme events and uncertainties continue to dominate the landscape.
    Central to context is the question of “what do we value?”
    Central to vulnerabilities are supply chains.
    Highlights in the “top right” quadrant
    Yes, No, and Maybe
    With enhanced foresight being a ‘must-have’
    The Frameworks have remained robust for decades
    At the ground level, we offer apps – many free, some up to $5 – which can go a long way to support you asking the right questions.
    For those who can make it for a Face-to-Face, Adelaide 27 Feb awaits
  • Disaster Management Workshop – a business perspective.

    Adelaide, Monday 27 Feb, 9am -11am, $85

    https://www.eventbookings.com/b/event/agile-business-continuity-workshop-adelaide

  • Be wary of “fonts of all knowledge”

    It is heartening to know people who are experts. More so when you know several who are experts in the same field – but with different ways of looking at things. It’s not that they’re right. It’s that they make you think.

    Similarly, the role of having a strong range of criteria to consider when making a decision is fundamental.

    It’s often a challenge to get business to look beyond cost and the minimum necessary “legally required” considerations, to embrace questions of best practice.

    Below is a set of criteria I use in the free decision making app “Disaster Management”. A nice feature of the app is you can edit the criteria – but I offer them – and the app – for your consideration.

    Enjoy.
  • Free Disaster Risk Assessor App

    Use our free app to map and explore how you are at risk.

    We also use it as a “pre-read” lead into our business continuity workshops.

    A team is the best value workshop package
    https://www.eventbookings.com/b/event/business-continuity-workshop
    International Standards and best practices

    Hazards are not equally significant.


    Adjust your risk thresholds to reflect your “acceptability” levels
    Things ‘at risk’ are not equal.

    Google Store https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.disaster.risk&hl=en_AU&gl=US

    Apple Store https://apps.apple.com/au/app/disaster-risk-assessor/id6443818654

    Free Disaster Risk Assessor.pdfDownload
  • The Power of Art

    Art is a very powerful way to engage and stimulate.

    An especially striking example is the cover of the New Yorker which often uses thought provoking images. Currently, the communication is about the impact of extreme events on our cities.

    TITLE – The Future Is Here ARTIST – Birgit Schossow

    Depicting a giant wave – in the iconic style of Katsushika Hokusai – cresting over New York City.

    Business continuity planning has recently gained more importance than ever because of the global weather events such as those happening all around us. Such planning helps us to remain better positioned to recover from the business interruption, property damage, financial impact, and loss of life associated with a disaster or crisis.

    A recent illustration in our local paper – Adelaide (South Australia)
    Click on this image to jump on the chance to be involved in our Business Continuity Planning Workshop in Adelaide on 19 December
    BCPworkshop.pdfDownload

    The workshop will be facilitated by John Salter, an experienced expert who has been recognized since 1997 for “preventing disasters, or where that is not possible, reducing the potential for harm”.(Reference: Barrister Hugh Selby in The Inquest Handbook)

    Salter_John.pdfDownload
  • Shut happens

    The hospitality industry invests heavily on having bumper weekends. They’re the days everyone is “out and about”.

    Except … when you can’t be “up and at em”.

    And today was like that for many popular venues in our area.

    There might be lessons for the day – there might be lessons from the day. Especially if there is an opportunity to reflect on your approach to business continuity and disruption more broadly!

    Consider the approach outlined below:

    Use a highly reputed international reference NFPA 1600 – a gold standard!
    This weekend it was hazard number 46.
    Next week … it might be …
    Consider how agile your business is.

    Reflect on your vulnerabilities with a straightforward, widely used, and useful “heuristic”. The 4Ps.

    Try the agile approach to business continuity by using our free App

    If you like the approach, consider our comprehensive coverage of careabouts in the FlyingFish Business Continuity App – for less than US$5 (we will be using it at our Dec 19 workshop in Adelaide)
    Our next workshop is on Dec 19 in Adelaide
  • We assess risk to manage it better

    Good apps help people find the best answers by asking the right questions. Hopefully our two recent releases do precisely that!

    Disaster Risk Assessor

    Disaster Risk Assessor

    Apple https://apps.apple.com/au/app/disaster-risk-assessor/id6443818654

    Google https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.disaster.risk

    We assess #risk so we can #manage it better. #Disaster #Management is about #decisions in #uncertainty. Our recently released free apps support you do this by leveraging best practice Standards and logical processes. Hopefully they help protect the things and people you value.

    Disaster Management Decision Maker

    Disaster Management Decision Maker

    Apple https://apps.apple.com/au/app/disaster-management/id6443969441

    Google https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.disaster.decision

  • Our free tools support GAR2022 approach
    Reference Figure 5 of the below PDF – call to action.
    UK_Resilience_Lessons_Digest_-_Issue_1.pdfDownload
  • Supply Chain Bottlenecks Classic
    YourFlyingFish.com
  • When disasters hit, are plans important?

    Yes, no and maybe. It depends on what you think “plans” are.

    If having documentation in place which prescribes things to do – and looks a bit like the FROM column below – constitutes a “plan” – then NO.

    If having arrangements in place which will support you to assess impact, make informed decisions and implement those decisions effectively – and looks a bit like the TO column below – constitutes a “plan” – then YES.

    I recently completed a “submission form” for our business
    – and answered “NO”

    Why did I answer “NO”?

    Because we rely on an agile approach to business continuity.

    We live under the TO column (in the above Table).

    Our invitation? Engage – Explore the problem space with us
    Reference: McKinsey & Company

Free Disaster Risk Assessor App

Use our free app to map and explore how you are at risk. We also use it as a “pre-read” lead into our business continuity workshops. Hazards are not equally significant. Google Store https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.disaster.risk&hl=en_AU&gl=US Apple Store https://apps.apple.com/au/app/disaster-risk-assessor/id6443818654

Risk Trends

Headlines reflect a disarming lack of confidence.
In this Blog I have selected some key themes from the Insight Report. Illustrating them with images from the report.
Extreme events and uncertainties continue to dominate the landscape.
Central to context is the question of “what do we value?”
Central to vulnerabilities are supply chains.
Highlights in the “top right” quadrant
Yes, No, and Maybe
With enhanced foresight being a ‘must-have’
The Frameworks have remained robust for decades
At the ground level, we offer apps – many free, some up to $5 – which can go a long way to support you asking the right questions.
For those who can make it for a Face-to-Face, Adelaide 27 Feb awaits

Shut happens

The hospitality industry invests heavily on having bumper weekends. They’re the days everyone is “out and about”. Except … when you can’t be “up and at em”. And today was like that for many popular venues in our area. There might be lessons for the day – there might be lessons from the day. Especially… Read More

We assess risk to manage it better

Good apps help people find the best answers by asking the right questions. Hopefully our two recent releases do precisely that! Disaster Risk Assessor Apple https://apps.apple.com/au/app/disaster-risk-assessor/id6443818654 Google https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.disaster.risk We assess #risk so we can #manage it better. #Disaster #Management is about #decisions in #uncertainty. Our recently released free apps support you do this by leveraging… Read More

Mercedes’ fine compounded by loss of trust

Several costs come to mind. First – and strategically significant – is the loss of trust. The tarnishing of image. Trust is important when it comes to safety. When the safety risk is imposed by a faulty “safety feature”, then importance is increased exponentially. Second, sound management is something which ought to be able to… Read More

In Decision Making, Context is King

Before identifying options / solutions, first ensure a shared understanding of your objectives. The scope of the decision should be determined within the context of your organisational objectives. Identify your stakeholders (both internal and external) in relation to the scope of this decision and consider their concerns, issues and expectations. Core to the scope will… Read More

Vulnerability is at the very heart of risk

Addressing the “onion layers” – the underlying “why” – is an effective way of managing risk. It is YOUR VULNERABILITY. There is limited value in “leading the witness”. Far better to stimulate your reflection and considerations – of your context. It is in that spirit the whimsical images, prompts, and references below are provided. Concept:… Read More

Manage your Sword of Damocles

Damocles ponders his circumstances
(part of painting Sword of Damocles” by Richard Westall, 1812)
https://www.instagram.com/lianafinck/
Source: ready.gov/risk-assessment
Damocles Risk Assessor Instructional.pdfDownload
Start by considering your threats / hazards
The internationally respected standard is a good place to start. Use it to filter which threats or hazards might be relevant to you.
Don’t like the NFPA classifications and hazard categories? Fine – tailor your own.
… and within the categories, add and edit specific hazards!
Attribute a level of significance (on a scale up to ten) to the threats or hazards which made it through your initial “might be relevant” filter.
We assess risk in order to better manage it.
BEFORE
AFTER
We are all variously vulnerable.
Configure your report and communicate it!

Add silent scooters – and silent policy – as one of your hazards

In Melbourne on the weekend I was nearly “cleaned up” a couple of times with near miss e scooter incidents. So I thought I’d do a quick check on some questions around whether it’s an issue in Melbourne – and elsewhere. The answer is YES In England In Adelaide A hazard – whispering up behind… Read More