A positive crisis impact
COVID-19 has had a good impact on crisis management in many ways, as governments, organisations, and people’s understanding of the necessity of crisis prevention and preparedness has grown. We are now better prepared to prevent, prepare for, and manage future crises as a whole.
Now that there is a general understanding of crisis and crisis management, as well as a new awareness and interest in the subject, I hope we take advantage of it and use the lessons learned to better prepare ourselves – families, societies, and businesses – to prevent and prepare for the next crisis, in whatever shape, size, or form it may take.
The best – and cheapest – option is always prevention. That is the starting point. As company leaders, it is our responsibility to emerge from a crisis in a stronger – and safer – position, and to devote resources to crisis management before the next crisis strikes.
As a security specialist, it is my responsibility to speak up when the truth is inconvenient. That is the nature of my job and the realm of security, intelligence, and monitoring. In early February 2020, I performed my duty in the Danish media, warning of a virus and, eventually, a pandemic that would attack Denmark. When we fail to prevent a catastrophe, it has a greater impact. Whether we like it or not, that is the reality. A virus can become a pandemic, and a threat can become an emergency. I work with risks, which are continuously shifting and evolving as new ones emerge. Surveillance, intelligence, and crisis management are all things we perform in my line of work. To avoid a pandemic, catastrophe, or breakdown, we work with surveillance and prevention. We do this to help make the business environment safer and to save lives.
Crisis guide
After a long career in security, I thought it was my responsibility to democratise and share my expertise and advice with the entire public, not just with governments, enterprises, and other clients. Last year, I published my first book, ‘Prepare yourself best for the worst,’ the first Danish crisis guide and a modern, urban survival guide for you and your loved ones to prepare for a crisis, emergency, or disaster – whether it’s a cyber or terror attack, a national disaster, or something as simple as a power outage.
Prevention, planning, and awareness are the keys to success as business leaders and citizens. The goal of my book and work is for individuals to obtain a critical understanding of potential risks, as well as what we can all do to prepare ourselves, and why and how we can take responsibility in order to better get through current and future crisis together.
This article does not suggest that you go into the woods or construct a taller fence around your home or office, but rather that you take matters into your own hands by following a few basic procedures in the event that the authorities are unable to help you. We must be prepared for a crisis on all levels and in all aspects as citizens and leaders.
My book is now available in an international edition, which will be launched this summer.
Mental health: strengthening our response
When it comes to crisis management and leadership, mental health is becoming more prominent. It’s crucial because stress and anxiety can lead to unreasonable and harmful behaviour in you and others around you, both personally and professionally, as well as in society.
The COVID-19 crisis demonstrated how residents and employees responded to various stages of the global crisis, as well as how we handled advice and limits from authorities and leaders across borders and sectors.
Public awareness, transparency, and openness are essential in crisis management. When citizens are aware of threats, they can respond in a more constructive and responsible manner.
The same can be said about crowd control at large events. It is simpler to lead a mob that is well-informed and aware of the dangers and consequences. In PACTESUR, where I serve on the expert Advisory Committee, this is a critical topic. The goal is to empower cities and local actors in the field of urban public space security in the face of dangers like terrorist attacks. In order to establish new European municipal policies to secure public spaces against threats, PACTESUR brings together local decision-makers, security forces, urban security experts, urban planners, IT developers, trainers, front-line practitioners, designers, and others.
Competitive parameter & risk radar
A danger is a risk in my universe. It doesn’t have a gender, but it does have a colour, which can be red, yellow, or green. I only encounter a few female security business owners like myself throughout the world, but we are seeing an increase in female analysts and’supporting jobs’ in the industry. But, in reality, catastrophe has no regard for gender, plans, or timelines.
We reassess physical, strategic, and financial vulnerabilities during a crisis, and creative thinking is critical.
In these recent unstable times, we’ve seen how crisis management has taken on new significance as a result of terrorist and cyber-attacks, natural disasters, and pandemics.
We may develop vaccinations and disaster plans, but no one is immune to the new reality of ever-changing threats. The first step is to acknowledge that a catastrophe is unavoidable. Preparation, implementation, and mitigation are also important, as are lessons learned, evaluation, and recovery.
About the Author
Security specialist and expert on advisory boards and consultant for global companies, CEO of Praesidio Group – a global intelligence and security company headquartered in Denmark, author of a modern survival and security guide, and keynote speaker with a long career dedicated to security, intelligence, crisis, and risk management.
She has received various U.S. Government awards for her work with the U.S. Department of State – Diplomatic Security and has received special training as a first responder within Weapons of Mass Destruction and Pandemics by the U.S. Department of State – Diplomatic Security, having spent significant portions of her career under the radar in England and the United States.
She works in the commercial, governmental, and cooperative sectors, as well as in organisations and communities, as a security and intelligence expert. She serves on the Advisory Committee of the European Forum for Urban Security, which is the only European network of municipal and regional authorities dedicated to urban security, including 250 cities and regions from 16 countries. She is also an advisor for a global philanthropic charitable organisation that focuses on global viral and pandemic issues.
She and her colleagues have worked on protection and security management and coordination for state visits, Denmark’s EU Council Presidency, NATO Heads of State Summit, COP15, and the International Olympic Committee Meeting, among other things.
