Finding Your Planning Sweet Spot
Many businesses don’t plan at all, while others get stuck in over-planning mode for too long. Ideally you will sit someone in the middle of this spectrum as neither extreme really works.
You should keep your plan simple enough for everybody to understand and remember but detailed enough to cover all risks and steps necessary to keep your business sustainability = continuity.
Red flags that indicate you may be getting bogged down:
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You think you don’t know the right words to describe your vision and goals
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You don’t know where to start or how to complete a good plan
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You’re too busy doing to be planning
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You don’t think you’ve got the right team to support your planning process
What is Continuity Planning?
Continuity and contingency planning is about being prepared for all types of disruptions, eg an earthquake, broken equipment or losing a supplier — and quickly getting back on your feet.
A business continuity plan (BCP) pinpoints the most important parts of your business, identifies potential risks to these critical pieces and prepares you to recover as quick and easy as possible. Contingency planning is a crucial part of continuity planning — it means having a backup if your original plan no longer works. It’s your plan B.
Your BCP shouldn’t be limited to what to do after a natural disaster. It should cover any risks or threats that could disrupt your most important business activities.
How to Write Your Continuity Plan
Business.govt.nz provides a very useful step-by-step guide here which outlines 10 areas for detailing your Business Continuity Plan.