Emergency Management Solutions Newsletter

 

Helping Managers Lead Better in Crisis

July 2012


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In This Issue
Train for Leadership: Why our plans fail to prepare our leaders
Video: Interview with author Amanda Ripley
Professional Development
Life Balance
From the Bookshelf
Speaker's Corner

Train for Leadership

 

Why our plans fail to prepare our leaders

Last month I discussed the difficulties in transitioning from a technician to a program manager. Two of the points that I raised were that technicians are taught that there is a best answer to every problem and the technicians tend to favor tasks over outcomes.

 

This month I'd like to expand on those points a bit further and discuss how this mindset affects our planning and may actually hinder our ability to deal effectively with crisis.

 

  

CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE

Interview with author Amanda Ripley

Amanda Ripley-Interview
Amanda Ripley-Interview

This a short interview with Amanda Ripley highlighting incites she gained into disaster behavior when writing her book The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes and Why. If you have not read it yet, I highly recommend it.

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Greetings!  

Welcome to the July issue of Emergency Management Solutions.
 
This month's article builds on my previous discussion in June on how we need to think like managers rather than technicians. Locking ourselves into a focus solely on tasks rather than on outcomes can have an impact on our success in preparing our senior executives to lead in crisis.
   

My monthly newsletter is a great way to keep in touch but you're not getting full value if you're not also signed up for my blog. I usually try to blog twice a week, so don't miss out! You can sign up on my blog site Canton on Emergency Management or click the link below.

 

Visit my blog 

 

If you are having trouble viewing my featured article, try clicking on the link at the top of the page. Alternatively, you can always find my articles in the white paper section of my blog site, Canton on Emergency Management.

 Regards,
 
Lucien Canton

Professional Development 

 

One of the marks of a profession is a certification program. When you earn the Certified Emergency Manager (CEM)designation you not only affirm your professional commitment, you are helping to move our profession forward.

 

One of the best way to prepare for certification is by working with a study group of your peers. Starting August 1 EMPOWER (Emergency Management Professional Organization for Women's Enrichment) will be sponsoring a virtual CEM/AEM Study Circle program designed to help you develop your application package and prepare for the exam. The program also provides several sessions with CEM Commissioners so you'll get answers to your questions from an authoritative source.

 

The program is free to EMPOWER associates and space is limited. Membership is in EMPOWER is open to all and costs $75, $50 for students.

 

A great program from a great organization - check it out!


Life Balance 

 

Do you offer yourself rewards? I'm not talking about the mega-jackpot, won-the-lotto type of payout. A reward can be as simple as a walk around the block or some quiet time to read an article you've been trying to get around to reading.
 
Too often we do the job for the job's sake and don't take the time to step back and acknowledge that we did something pretty impressive. Sometimes we've got a dirty job to do and need a bit of incentive. Rewards can work in both cases.
 
So the next time you need a bit of motivation, try offering yourself a small reward. It will make the job go a lot smoother!
 
From the Bookshelf  

 

When was the last time you based your plans on a hazard map? Did you know how accurate that information was or the purpose for which the map was originally designed? These are some of the questions raised in Mark Monmonier's Cartographies of Danger: Mapping Hazards in the America. Monmonier describes the mapping products we commonly use in disaster planning, such as FEMA's flood plain maps and earthquake zone maps and shows demonstrates not only their utility but how they can be misused. In the end, our mapping products influence our perception of risk. You'll never look at map the same way again!

Speaker's Corner 
Speaking Engagements  

 

July 18: Incident Command: A New Take on an Old System, Building Owners and Managers Association, San Francisco
 
December 4: Crisis in Leadership or Leadership in Crisis?, Emergency Management Magazine All-Hazards Summit, Miami
 
December 6: Crisis in Leadership or Leadership in Crisis?, Emergency Management Magazine All-Hazards Summit, Houston
  

Looking for a Speaker?

 

Need a speaker for your next conference? I offer keynotes, seminars and workshops. You can find more details on my website  or on my SpeakerMix page. 

 

Lucien Canton Seminar Excerpts
Lucien Canton Seminar Excerpts
  If you've heard me speak...

 

...I'd greatly appreciate it if you would take a minute to give me feedback on SpeakerMix. Just go to the site and click on the "Write A Review" button. 

 

Many thanks!

�Lucien G. Canton July 2012