Management by Crisis
Causes | Solutions |
1. Unaware of importance 没有意识到事情的重要性(没有把最重要的事情摆在首位) | Take time log of crises. Analyze source, causes, seriousness, controllable factors. |
2. Failure to anticipate problems and to develop contingency plans(没有去预见问题并预先准备好应急方案) | Expect the unexpected. Ask what can go wrong. (Murphy's Third Law: If anything can go wrong, it will.) List potential problems. Categorize by seriousness and probability, then develop steps to prevent if possible, or to limit consequences if not. |
3. Overreaction (treating problems as crises) 反应过于强烈(把出现的问题看得太过严重) | Limit your response by (a) ignoring problems which can be ignored; (b) delegating all those which others can handle; (c) handling only those which you alone can take care of. |
4. Fire fighting | Recognize that it is more important to prevent new fires from developing than to spend all your time putting out old ones. Preventive action is preferable to remedial. |
5. Procrastination 拖延! | Recognize danger inherent in putting off key actions: leads to deadline pressures and often to impaired judgment under stress. |
6. Unrealistic time estimates 不切实际的时间估计(过于乐观?) | Recognize that everything takes longer than you think it will (Murphy's Second Law). Analyze characteristic underestimates, then add appropriate cushion to all critical estimates, at least 20 percent. |
7. Mechanical breakdown/ human error 机械故障/意外错误 | Anticipate. Organize resources (human and otherwise) for rapid adjustments to compensate most effectively. Back up your computer files and your databases. Install a utilities program to detect and repair computer errors before they cause crises. |
8. Reluctance of staff to break bad news | Develop philosophy of mistakes (learning process). Discuss; emphasize that fast reporting of bad news will help prevent crises. |
9. Overreaction engendered by VIP request | Find out what really is wanted, by whom, when it really is needed, and how it will be used. Are there any alternatives? |
10. Failure to establish controls | Timeline all major projects. Establish checkpoints at intervals to confirm targets are being met. |