Disaster Proof Your Business with Lance Mortlock

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A few years ago I was doing a keynote at a conference about mindset when it comes to change. At one point in the talk, I was sharing how the rate of change is accelerating so rapidly individuals can no longer comprehend all the changes that are occurring, let alone will occur. It’s impossible for any single human to actually understand the reality of what we are currently dealing with and all the variables therein. 

So, while we can’t predict the change that is coming anymore – and let’s be honest, we never really could – we still have to be able to find some grounding to plan and strategize, and be forward-thinking/future focused.

Fast forward a few years, and we are living in a world that is experiencing the opposite of that... One where we endured a pandemic that a group of thought leaders, including Bill Gates, suggested we should have a contingency plan in place for a number of years ago.

They discussed this worst-case scenario and made suggestions as to how to be prepared if something like this happened. Unfortunately, as you are aware, leaders did not heed their warnings, and… here we are. 

So, what happened that this group of experts and thought leaders were so summarily dismissed?

In a nutshell: the world they were predicting and the possibility they were proposing seemed too far-fetched. 

Of course, there were many other nuances but that was a huge factor in their proposals and ideas not being taken seriously. No one wanted to consider an “extreme” idea since it didn’t line up with anything that had happened before. And, it’s always easier to live in the world of the familiar than it is to consider the unknown and previously unseen.

This is where the importance of scenario planning and disaster proofing comes in. 

My guest on the podcast this week is Lance Mortlock, a senior strategist who wrote the book: Disaster Proof: Scenario Planning for a Post-Pandemic Future, which explores the ways in which scenario planning can help organizations be more resilient, building shock absorbers, in a time of great uncertainty and drastic change.

We discuss how important it is for leaders to be prepared for whatever’s coming next. And, the questions we should all be asking – leaders especially – on how to be more prepared and resilient when things to awry. 

Lance urges that all leaders ask: "What is going on in our world right now? What are the key risks and opportunities that could arise? And, what’s our plan?"

Join the conversation and decide what the next steps are, for you and/or your company to mitigate the next big crisis.

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As the managing partner for the Ernst & Young energy market segment, Lance’s leadership responsibilities include oil and gas, power and utilities, and mining sectors across Canada. 

As a strategy practitioner working with the c-suite, Lance has provided consulting services on 160+ projects to 60+ clients in 11 countries. 

He brings a broad set of strategic skills and experiences, helping clients solve some of their most complex strategic problems. 

Lance is a Visiting Professor at the University of Calgary Haskayne School of Business and serves on the Board of the Canadian Energy and Climate Nexus.

Lance is also the author of Disaster Proof: Scenario Planning for a Post-Pandemic Future, which explores the ways in which scenario planning can help organizations be more resilient, building shock absorbers, in a time of great uncertainty and drastic change.

To learn more about Lance and his work, visit lancemortlock.com. You can also find him on LinkedIn by searching his name.