The Status Quo of Crisis Preparedness

  • Author: Melissa Agnes
Reading time: 4 min
  • Word Count: 762
Read the news article

The Status Quo of Crisis Preparedness Puts You at a Disadvantage—and It’s Time For That To Change.

Over the last couple of years, I’ve found myself increasingly frustrated with my industry, the crisis management profession. To put my frustration simply, the status quo of crisis preparedness and crisis management no longer suffices and, as a result, does a disservice to professionals, organizations and society.

COVID-19 is a horrific example of how unfortunately true this statement is. For the organizations that had a traditional “crisis management plan” (status quo) at the start of 2020, how well did it truly serve them? It didn’t. Instead, we watched—any many experienced first-hand—as good businesses and great professionals suffered immensely due to a lack of effective crisis preparedness.

Meanwhile, the organizations that were intrinsically crisis ready prior to COVID-19 had an advantage. I know this, because my clients are amongst them. This meant that when COVID began to impact their country and/or their business, as their neighbors, competitors and peers were left scrambling and fearful, those who had worked to engrain a Crisis Ready® Culture (elevated status quo) had a strategic advantage in getting ahead of the situation to the most extent possible at the time.

The Status Quo of Crisis Preparedness No Longer Suffices and Needs to be Elevated.

Like it or not, we’ve entered into an era of increased challenge and risk. The long-accepted approach of creating a stagnant plan that sits on a shelf somewhere does little to actually serve when it’s needed most and will continue to leave organizations at a disadvantage.

The Status Quo of Crisis Preparedness

Instead, true resilience requires a culture of readiness that leads with the right mindset, empowers the right skillset’s, and ensures the right real-time capabilities—and this The Status Quo cultural approach to resilience is going to be more and more needed as the months and years roll forward.

The BIG Mission: To Create a Crisis Resilient World

As I’ve helped dozens of organizations engrain Crisis Ready® Cultures over the years, I’ve come to the realization that if every organization, if every leader, were Crisis Ready to what it means to me to be Crisis Ready, that we would live in a kinder, safer, more balanced world.

This is the world that I’m determined to raise and leave my future children in. This is the world that I believe we all deserve and we all play a role in achieving.

So, for the last couple of years, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking through our current realities and asking myself, “if I want to create a crisis ready world, how do I do that?”

The Crisis Ready Institute is the manifestation of my answer to this question.

About the The Status Quo of the institute

The Status Quo of Crisis Ready Institute is a public benefit corporation with a massive mission to elevate status quo and create a crisis resilient world.

What I’ve learned over the years is that crisis readiness is a tangible, learnable skill that is not currently taught. The Crisis Ready Institute is changing this. We exist to educate, teach, empower and support today’s professionals in developing and honing the skillsets required to transform real-time challenges—of which this world has many—into real-time opportunities. And we’re kicking things off with a program that does precisely this: The Crisis Ready Coaching Program.

Now, more than ever, it is time to empower today’s professionals, helping them do right by the stakeholders and communities they serve and, in the process, strengthening their business’s resilience to thrive through these challenging times.

It’s a massive mission and it’s needed. I won’t lie, embarking upon this journey is both exhilarating and frightening, and I’m blessed to be surrounded by a phenomenal team of driven and talented leaders, along with partner organizations, all of whom who believe in and have chosen to embark upon this journey with me—with us.

If you’d like to learn more about the The Status Quo of Crisis Ready Institute, our mission and the Crisis Ready Coaching Program, I invite you to do so by clicking here. I also invite you to share your thoughts and perspectives, and if you’d like to be a part of this journey with us, in any capacity, I absolutely would love to hear from you!

To your and the world’s resilience,

Melissa Agnes

Contact us at Speakers Inc and follow us on  LinkedIn

Was this article helpful?

Further articles you may enjoy:

  • (26)

    Unleashing Inspiration: San Diego’s motivational speakers Transforming Conferences Across California Introduction: In the vibrant landscape of California, where innovation meets ambition, San Diego stands out as a hub of motivation and inspiration. The city is home to a cadre of exceptional motivational speakers, individuals who possess the power to ignite change, foster growth, and propel […]

    • February 23, 2024
    • (19)

      Empowering Minds: The Impact of Motivational Speakers in Atlanta, Georgia Introduction: Atlanta, Georgia, a vibrant hub of culture, commerce, and innovation, has become a focal point for individuals seeking inspiration and motivation. Within this dynamic cityscape, motivational conference speakers have emerged as catalysts for change, guiding audiences towards personal and professional growth. In this article, […]

      • January 26, 2024
      • (31)

        Welcome to the Dunder Mifflin Leadership Wisdom, where we draw inspiration from the legendary antics of The Office’s Michael Scott, Jim Halpert, and even Dwight Schrute. While the show may be known for its hilarious mishaps and quirky characters, there’s an underlying theme that every leader can learn from: the importance of motivating your staff. […]

        • September 20, 2023
        • (5)

          Celebrating Pride 2024 season is upon us once again, a time of celebration, reflection, and advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. As we embark on Celebrating Pride 2024, we are reminded of the progress we’ve made and the challenges that lie ahead. This year’s festivities promise to be especially memorable, with a lineup […]

          • June 4, 2024
          • (48)

            Remembering Eddie Osterland: America’s First Master Sommelier The wine world lost a true pioneer in September 2023 with the passing of Eddie Osterland, America’s first Master Sommelier. A trailblazer in the industry, Eddie was more than just a wine expert; he was an educator, an entertainer, and an inspiration to countless professionals and enthusiasts alike. […]

            • September 7, 2023
            • (26)

              Mastering Success: The Art of Business Strategy Speakers In the high-stakes world of modern business, success doesn’t happen by chance, it’s the result of clear strategy, innovation, and relentless execution. At the center of this movement are business strategy speakers: thought leaders who don’t just talk about transformation, but drive it. What Makes a Business […]

              • July 9, 2025
              • (24)

                Artificial Intelligence in 2026: Why These Thought Leaders Matter Now Artificial Intelligence in 2026 is no longer a futuristic concept, it’s today’s most transformative force. From redefining business models and creative industries to reshaping ethics, policy, and human connection, AI is influencing how the world works, thinks, and evolves. But with exponential progress comes exponential […]

                • January 23, 2026
                • (7)

                  Sara Sutton Fell, the founder of 1 Million for Work Flexibility, and CEO and founder of FlexJobs, shares tips on how to negotiate workplace flexibility. Workplace flexibility is not just an issue that impacts working women; working men are also eager for solutions that help them balance work and home, and a new survey from Working […]

                  • January 12, 2023

                  Speakers Inc.

                  Connecting you with the perfect speaker.

                  We connect you with world-class speakers to create impactful, memorable events.

                  Find the Perfect Speaker

                  Tell us about your event and we’ll match you with the right speaker.

                  © All rights reserved 2026.  Designed using Voxel

                  AI Assistant
                  Speakers Inc Logo 2024
                  Privacy Overview

                  This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.