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00:00:00:19 - 00:00:34:09 Speaker 1 Hello and welcome to episode 137 now of the prepared podcast. I'm your host, Rob Burton, and as always, a welcome to the show. today, today's title is Tabletop Tactics four Key Tips for Engaging Executive Teams in Crisis Simulations. So, you know, there are four key tips that I'm going to share with you. From our experience, we deliver to executive teams, all the time. 00:00:34:11 - 00:00:59:16 Speaker 1 So, outside of the crisis management team and other business continuity and other cyber specific teams, and other many other teams as well. one of the key audiences we deliver to, is the executive C-suite group. And so I thought I'd share some tips with you. This is part four. Really? if you've not listened to the other three prior to this one, I think they all go in a row here. 00:00:59:18 - 00:01:24:15 Speaker 1 it's all about the executive tabletop exercise. and so listen back, to, episode one 3435, 36 and now, this is 37. and, you know, I've got some great tips, for you and, ideas of how to create them all the way through to, evaluating them and creating the report. So I believe this is now looking for that series. 00:01:24:15 - 00:01:44:18 Speaker 1 So take a take a listen back and, let us know what you think. So really important. That's of course, we've designed the exercise. We've structured it. We've done all the hard work, you know, probably spent weeks and in some cases months building up to this, the moment of truth. You've got 90 minutes, in some cases 60 minutes, which is not ideal. 00:01:44:23 - 00:02:11:20 Speaker 1 Some, leadership groups give you more time, which is excellent if you can get, you know, three hours on the calendar, I think, it's time well spent, at least annually, if not biannually, which, again, is something we're seeing organizations moving towards. And again, having those, little training sessions in between the 30 minute updates and, and giving them some other pieces of advice throughout the year as it relates to crisis management is essential. 00:02:11:22 - 00:02:34:06 Speaker 1 Oh, okay. Well, okay. We're going to go then. We're going to jump down, dive straight in here for the four tips. The first one is of course, we've customized the scenarios to reflect, the realistic challenges. So we mentioned that in the last podcast. Really important that, you get the exercise off to a good start. Of course, you're going to give them a very quick briefing. 00:02:34:10 - 00:03:02:18 Speaker 1 Everyone knows each other in the room anyway, so you don't need to do that. But, you know, at a high level, this is why we're here. What I like to do is if you can get a couple of words from the most senior person in the room, if the CEO is in the room, great. If you can get them to, you know, make the point that this is critical to our strategic goals as an organization to remain resilient, to practice and become better at, responding to events, then great. 00:03:02:24 - 00:03:18:23 Speaker 1 Get, get them to do that. If you can always get that, that key person to kind of jump in. And again, that really provides the focus and for the rest of the session. And then you can dive in. You don't need to kind of go back over, you know, the whole objectives and do all that again. 00:03:18:23 - 00:03:39:24 Speaker 1 Because again, hopefully you've done that prior to coming into the session. You provided them with a little bit of content beforehand, whether it's in the calendar, we like to put a little video together in 90s two minute video, send that out ahead of time, make sure they're comfortable prior to walking into that session, and they understand that they've got to kind of get themselves prepared to have that discussion. 00:03:40:01 - 00:04:05:17 Speaker 1 so that's the first part. You know, it's about that organization. So spend the first, you know, 3 to 5 minutes when you jump into the session. and then you won't get into it because they, they want the scenario. Right. The leaders are there. They're going to want to jump in to the scenario. So again you have setting the framework, for the session really important that that first piece that so that way what you want to do is encourage, you know, that that communication, as you're in the session. 00:04:05:17 - 00:04:35:03 Speaker 1 So as you started to talk through the scenario, what you want to do, what you want to try to do is get them to engage. what we find is, you know, putting together some thought provoking, leading questions allows the conversation to flow naturally. So that's a really good way to get it, get the conversation going, get them thinking strategically as it relates to the challenges that they're concerned about throughout the different phases of the exercise. 00:04:35:07 - 00:04:55:03 Speaker 1 Really important. So communication has to be clear and concise. don't go down rabbit holes as we like to say. So in terms of your scenario, we want to keep it out of the weeds. Unless you're doing a specific technical scenario, which again, the executive group typically doesn't want to see or get involved in, then that's fine. 00:04:55:03 - 00:05:23:14 Speaker 1 If there's one piece or one component, that you're looking at, that's fine, but stay out of the weeds. and again, if you if you, if you get in the weeds, you'll go down a rabbit hole and, the discussion will head off in a different direction, and that won't be good for you. So if you want to have a that's, either if you want to have someone, from the technical team that if it's a technical exercise to answer any questions, then that's a good resource to have sat in the room to be able to quickly answer and move the session along. 00:05:23:14 - 00:05:43:15 Speaker 1 But, again, really important that, we have clear and concise communications as part of the exercise. you can use visual aids, of course, to summarize and convey complex information quickly and efficiently. So think about that. In the design phase, you're going to maintain that engagement and ensure that all participants are on the same page throughout the exercise. 00:05:43:19 - 00:06:06:09 Speaker 1 So really important. concise. you know, communication and clear and concise communication. is number two there. So number three, facilitate effective engagement and participation. your job as a facilitator is to get out of the way. Well, I, I like to say I've heard some horror stories where facilitators will come in and they'll, it'll all be about them and or their view on the world. 00:06:06:09 - 00:06:23:13 Speaker 1 And how things should be done. You know, I like to do the quick introduction. And if you've created a scenario that's engaging, impactful, relevant to the world of the executives, you sit down, you step out of the way and you let the session flow you. That's simply just a guide through to the end of the session. I typically speak at the beginning. 00:06:23:13 - 00:06:47:07 Speaker 1 I introduce, a period of injects and then I step out of the way, and then at the end I'll jump back in and say, okay, great session. Here are the key findings okay. Next steps are A-b-c. Off you go. thank you very much. And that is it. So you're simply a facilitator in the process. And if you get good at facilitation that the executives will recognize that because again, they've got 90 minutes, they've got two hours, whatever period of time they've got. 00:06:47:12 - 00:07:10:23 Speaker 1 And they want to spend it focused on their challenges as an organization, as an executive team, the specifics around why they are there for that, session. So get out of the way as soon as as soon as you possibly can. So again, utilize, obviously a skilled facilitator, will, you know, you know, you know, guide the conversation. 00:07:10:23 - 00:07:33:21 Speaker 1 You know, it will, you know, obviously pick up on viewpoints, you know, if you've got someone else with your with you from a facilitation standpoint, tracking the issues, that's a good scribe to have with you on on your facilitation team. And again, documenting what the issues are that are being raised is really important because again, we want to make sure we've got that constructive feedback. 00:07:33:23 - 00:07:53:23 Speaker 1 So again that moves on to number four actually. So number four focus on actionable takeaways and constructive feedback. you know conclude by having a debrief session at the end. if it's five minutes, ten minutes, whatever period of time you can get to the end, it's good to go around the room. I like to ask the question, what's your one key takeaway from today? 00:07:54:04 - 00:08:12:06 Speaker 1 Often you might get one or, you know, 2 or 3 takeaways, from some elements of the executive group. But you get really good information and it's no different difference. The other tabletops at the end of the session give them some time, because they've had time to think through the scenario. They've had time to spend walking through the various different steps. 00:08:12:08 - 00:08:37:19 Speaker 1 so again, it's really good to get that feedback at the end, provide those high level points. Just remember, here are the three key takeaways that were that came from the team in terms of the, areas that we, want to improve on, whether it's decision making, whether it's, you know, looking at, plans and how we come together from a activation standpoint, some of the basics may, may be introduced or found during the session. 00:08:37:19 - 00:08:55:15 Speaker 1 So again, you want to carry three, three takeaways at the end. And then again step out of the way. Hand it back to them. What are the what's your key finding from today. Go around the room and then get them on their way. Don't be late. Don't run over because they're busy. they need to get away and get to the, you know, next meetings. 00:08:55:15 - 00:09:16:18 Speaker 1 And, you know, it's important that you stick to your timeline. So again, watching the clock is one of the key. you know, you know, important parts of your, physical role. And, after meeting sessions where one of two leaders, you know, dominate the conversation and, you know, don't leave much time for everyone else. Unfortunately, you still have to finish on time. 00:09:16:18 - 00:09:39:16 Speaker 1 So it's trying to navigate those types of challenges. And it can be challenging. That is for sure. Okay. So that's it really. So you know top tips again that preparation at the beginning of the session. First five minutes. Really important that you get this exercise off to a good start. Clear and concise communications throughout the session is number two of course. 00:09:39:16 - 00:10:05:22 Speaker 1 You know, facilitating making sure that you have effective engagement and participation. Those leading questions, as I mentioned before, there may be role playing elements as well. And again, get out of the way as a facilitator, set the stage and move on, throughout the session and stick to the stick to your, goals. and again at the end, three, three main points, you know, focus on actionable takeaways and constructive feedback. 00:10:05:22 - 00:10:25:20 Speaker 1 The three points were found by the group. they're the takeaways. You can add some good things that were happening with the team as well. But go around the room, spend a few minutes at the end. What's the one thing that you're taking away from today's session? Give the team, the executive team, an opportunity to, talk about that and then get them on their way. 00:10:25:22 - 00:10:49:03 Speaker 1 Don't be late. Leave. Leave them. you know, a couple of minutes to get out of that room and get to that next meeting. If you can. They'll appreciate that. I can tell you. Okay, that's it for episode 137 of the prepared X podcast. We appreciate your time. Please write us, share this podcast, with whoever you think will benefit from this. 00:10:49:03 - 00:10:54:07 Speaker 1 And until next time, take care.