September is National Preparedness Month. Being prepared is important for upper management and is just as important for company employees.  Upper management should always be well prepared in order to set a precedent for others in the company.  If management is not prepared, then it will create confusion and lead to less preparedness in employees.

What is “Being Prepared”?

Being prepared is not only about being ready but also about having all the knowledge that is necessary to complete any given task. Being prepared is the step that comes after being ready. Being prepared also requires having contingency plans put in place.  While one may be ready for “scenario A,” “scenario A” could not work out as expected, or something could go wrong, so it is always important to have a plan B, C, etc.

Are employees and upper management prepared in the way that they should be in your company?  One must ask themselves questions such as these (and the questions will vary from task-to-task):

• What are my responsibilities?
• If I have any team members, who are they?
• What do I need to review?
• Have I set the proper reminders for myself?
• Do I have the knowledge that I need to proceed?
• Do I have contingency plans put in place?

Again, these are just a few of the questions that one must ask themselves when determining how well prepared they are, and it will vary depending on the task at hand.  With the help of upper management, and the example that is set by the company, employees will have a better chance at thriving when it comes to being very well prepared, which will in turn create more success for the company as a whole.