Crikey it’s cold!

Has Your neighbour got a key?

Following a last minute change of plan the other day, my wife and I both rushed out of the house to walk the children to school.

I didn’t take a house key (which I realised) so I was a little anxious about my ability to get back into the house but thought that as we had left together, we’d probably come back together.

The childrens schools as separated by about 1 minutes walk so I dropped my daughter off then returned to the other school to meet my wife (and her key) so that I could go back home to work.

I realised en-route that I had also left my mobile phone at home but was unfazed because I imagined it woud be easy to find my wife at the school.

Despite scouting the grounds and checking all of the usual places then ringing my wife I was unable to find her so I set off home alone thinking perhaps she’d be home – she wasn’t.

Fortunately, our neighbour was at home and we had provided him with a key for such eventualities so I managed to get in and get the kettle on without delay or drama.

Now you could argue that I should have taken the key and phone when I went out but you know, sometimes sh*t happens and the best laid plans of mice and men gang aft agley (sp?) as Robert Burns well knew.

My colleague threw a suprise business continuity exercise for a client a couple of weeks ago and one of the senior managers had just returned from 3 weeks leave, popped out in his shirt sleeves for a pint of milk and ended up bundled into a waiting transit van ahead of a 2 day off-site exercise.  As I said, sh*t happens.

My advice is to think through as many potential disruptions and mitigations as possible and make good plans through effective training and exercising.  If you do that, you might survive and get back on track regardless of whatever nasty suprises life throws at you.

Like the scouts – be prepared!

@Veterus