PDW 3: Consultation to Systems Affected by Severe Crisis or Accidents

The aim of this workshop is to share experiences from working with organizations in serious crisis because of disasters and severe accidents. Examples are drawn from offshore oil industry, aviation disasters and bushfires. The main focus will be on leadership of the organization affected by the crisis, and the challenge to keep focused on two primary tasks at the same time, these being:

1. How to organize for the necessary tasks in the crisis situation; and,
2. How to keep focused on the ‘ordinary organization’ (i.e. ‘business as usual’ affairs) while ensuring the organization itself will survive the crisis.

Using experiences from real acute situations will give participants ideas on how to assist companies prepare for crisis situations, how to organize for different crisis interventions, and the shared responsibilities of companies and the health system.

Presentation of main principles both:

The design of the workshop will use lectures and working on scenario from own experience to explore “reaction, intervention and following up”.

The workshop is designed for 5 to 20 participants.

At the maximum number, participants will be working in small groups part of the time.

Participants can expect to:·     

• Get a better understanding of the dynamics between different involved parts both on an organizational level and develop methods of intervention both on organizational and individual level.·               
• Analyse the ‘crisis systems’ in which they are / were involved·               
• Learn about some elements for how to organize a crisis intervention on a systemic level·               
• Focus also on those who are affected by the crisis such as children, young people and the bereaved·               
• Understand the acute phase of intervention, Following up, and Plans of prevention 

Preparation:

Participants will be asked to describe their own experience as leaders, consultants or in other roles of a severe situation where they have been involved. Some of these scenarios will be dealt with throughout the workshop.

Participants are asked to send these examples to Renate Grönvold Bugge and Debra Symons two weeks in advance.

Who is the workshop for?

• Consultants working with organisations with potential risk factors of accidents or severe crises
• Leaders and managers of organisations in industry and public sector institutions such as schools, health services, community recovery etc.

This workshop is of maximum value to those with some experience of ‘systems in crisis’, either from a role of consultant or of organisational leader.

Depending on the level of experience amongst participants, the workshop may be designed as a ‘masterclass’ for those experienced in crisis intervention, or it may be an open design suitable for participants with differing backgrounds.

References:

Renate Grønvold Bugge has published several articles and presented papers at international conferences. More information is available at www.kriseledelse.no

Bugge RG. Temporary organization for crisis intervention: when disaster - a hotel fire - strikes a community. In: Wilson JP, Raphael B, editors. International handbook of traumatic stress syndromes. New York: Plenum Press, 1993: 965-974.

Bugge RG. Perspectives on an accident, Scandinavian Shipping Gazette, Magnusson T,  2004 May 21.(10)

Bugge RG. Lessons from working to regenerate services in post-conflict recovery scenarios. Organisational and social dynamics 2002; 2(1):45-52.  

This workshop will be run at the Langham Hotel.

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