I've managed quite a few incidents (and false alarms) throughout my career - loss of systems, power cuts, supply chain issues, adverse weather conditions (including golf-ball sized hailstones), small fires, staff shortages and even one where a colleague was stuck in a lift. Proactive planning and preparation make incidents easier to manage, but I've still gained experience and learned valuable lessons from every one of them. For example, I now know that you don't tell someone who is stuck in a lift that the engineer will be here in 20 minutes because you might panic them, if they think that's a long time! You should avoid giving timescales - simply reassure them by saying help is on the way and you'll soon have them out of there. I was thinking about the advice I'd give to someone managing an incident for the first time and I came up with the following list: - Stay calm under pressure and reassure others - Be assertive, not aggressive - Ensure there are no egos in the room - Listen to the experts - Be decisive and inspire confidence - Provide clear instructions - Be prepared to react to a changing situation - Learn fast and keep learning - Stay in the present, don't look back - Leave any retrospection for the Post Incident Review - Make a record of all actions and decisions - Communicate regularly to the wider team - Revise your business continuity plans (after the incident) based upon the lessons you've learnt I've summarised the above list on a slide. If you're new to incident management, I hope you find it useful. If you're an experienced Incident Manager, what would you add to the above list? To read my full article, please go to: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/incident-management-learn-fast-dont-get-furious-jon-stephenson

1. Incident Management – learn fast, but don’t get furious!
Jon Stephenson
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/stephensonjon
• Stay calm under pressure & reassure others – assertive, not aggressive
• Remain in the present – leave any retrospection for Post Incident Reviews
• Provide clear instructions – check for understanding and commitment
• Ensure there are no egos in the room – work together as a team
• React to the changing situation – learn fast and keep learning
• Listen to the experts – take responsibility for your next steps
• Be decisive and inspire confidence – never procrastinate
• Record your actions and decisions – be clear and concise
• Keep the wider team informed – provide regular updates
• Revise your plans afterwards – based upon lessons learnt