Getting executive visibility for your BCM initiatives

At the Business Continuity Institute’s BCM 2009 World Conference and Exhibition, John Robinson, FBCI, posed that business continuity management enjoys the dubious distinction of being viewed as a cost centre that may never provide material value to the business. As a result, BCM issues may not get the attention needed from key decision makers, which is necessary for quick decisions. Mr. Robinson conducted research to find out what elements make for a successful (or less-than-successful) proposal when it comes time to recommend BCM changes to your organization. Some of the factors he mentioned in his paper are thought provoking. (Read more about it at Continuity Central) More likely to succeed (Drivers) * Technical language and complexity * Historical assumption of adequacy * Rarely visited territory for decision-makers * Inaccessible decision-makers * New in post Director Less likely to succeed (Challenges) * Sponsor understanding of the issue * Personal reputation and prospects * Real, immediate continuity risk * Visible recent incidents * Responsibility to patients and stakeholders How do you ensure that BCM initiatives in your organization are brought before governing audiences (like executive boards, trustees, etc.)? Do you structure your communications to this group in a way that effectively gets the point across? We’d like to hear your thoughts on the subject.