Now that the Gulf Coast oil well is (hopefully) sealed and the cleanup continues, we can take some needed lessons from this tragedy. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is how any organization needs to account for a worst-case scenario and at least develop some plans of action to avoid being totally surprised.
From b67hobo via Flickr - Cleaning up the Gulf
BP and the government failed miserably in this regard. BP should have understood what could happen if an off-shore oil rig would suddenly collapse. While an event like this had never occurred, BP should have thought about the impact if an off-shore oil well suddenly erupted. By considering this worst-case scenario and developing ideas that could be implemented, BP would have cut their experimentation time drastically. It was clear that BP was trying anything in a desperate attempt to stem the oil flow. While their effort is admirable, it was like closing the barn door after the cows have stormed into the field.
The federal government failed just as badly as BP, if not worse. The government needs to be the coordinator of resources and effort when a major environmental disaster like this occurs. The total lack of focus and effort from the government proved that very little planning – if any – was ever done to think about an event like this. The federal government has access to great minds and plenty of resources, but none of it does any good if they do not engage in any planning. This disaster should show the American people that the government must think longer-term than the next election and actually exercise some leadership. To do anything less is a disservice to the American public.
The finger pointing will go on for years, but both BP and the government are at fault for failing to plan for a catastrophic event like we have experienced. As business owners, we should take this event as a lesson to consider the worst-case scenario for our business and think of how we can anticipate the right course of action. This may mean you bring in outside help, such as university professors or consultants. However, getting this help before disaster strikes is much better than trying desperately to react when it is too late.
