Unexpected Preparation

 “What’s the worst that can happen?”  As a crew, when we practice potential difficult or bad situations ahead of time (hindsight in advance), we are much more prepared when something difficult actually happens.  By practicing and thinking of the bad and then possible solutions, we can actually be better prepared and more optimistic.

In the medical field, the term postmortem is used to examine a dead body to determine the cause of death—especially when the death is unexpected.  The goal is to learn and improve for when a similar situation occurs in the future.  In our officiating world, this process is referred to as post-game review and grading.

Examining premortem means we look at what could or will go wrong before an activity/project/game starts. If something goes unexpected, what is our plan, how do we handle, what are the options? We should practice hindsight in advance.

In a world often focused on the negative, many will question why to focus on potentially bad situations. But, preparing for disruption can be a positive.  Would we rather have a pleasant or unpleasant surprise? When examining premortem, ask “what if, then” questions:

What if………Then, I will….

What if………Instead, I’ll just…..

What if………No problem, we can always….

As a crew of officials, we should strive to create a positive and up-lifting environment because negativity can lead to friction.  We do not want to be pessimistic, but we do want to be prepared for adversity.  The key is to anticipate and prepare.  We examine what, when, and how a situation could happen and our potential responses to it.  Anticipation creates a range of potential outcomes to minimize surprise.

Proverbs 24:27
Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house.

In this verse, Solomon explains that before we build our house, we prepare and then we go to work.  Preparation and getting ready as officials include examining those things that could go wrong and are difficult to handle.  However, it does not end there.  Take the next step to determine our plan to handle and our options to respond.

Prepare for disruption by working disruption into our plans.

 Credit:  “The Obstacle is the Way” by Ryan Holiday