Recap & Poll Results: Panel on Geopolitical Pandemic – April 29, 2020
Written by Atul Vashistha

MODERATOR
Atul Vashistha, Chairman, Supply Wisdom
PANELISTS
- Michael Aisenberg, Principal Cyber Policy Counsel, The MITRE Corp
- Valerie Plame, Former Covert CIA Operative Officer, National Security Commentator, Consultant & Author
- Kevin Zerrusen, Managing Director EY
- Davia Temin, President and CEO, Temin & Company, Inc,
DISCUSSION SUMMARY
Key Points:
- Pandemic – public health effects and economic devastation – has been added to the threats we as a species face along with threat of nuclear disaster and climate chaos
- The severe tension in democratic institutions we are experiencing leads to fear
- Fear means regimes will take advantage of the situation
- We will have to dig out from under economic catastrophe – massive layoffs that will lead to civil unrest
- Civil unrest will have an impact on national security
Crisis is an insufficient word for what we are experiencing
- We are somewhere between crisis and chaos
- Causality is broken – there is no assurance that if you do a then z will happen it could be f it could be something completely different
- Crisis rules don’t apply anymore
What every corporate and political leader should do in chaos:
- Set an intent / aspiration a human goal of integrity and true north and set that directionally point of view
Poll #1 Results
Many companies and governments are trying to get people back to the workplace
- Federal and local Governments are involved to get back to a normal
- Most are thinking about their strategy and some are already starting to open up
Challenges businesses are facing as they plan to reopen business / return to the workplace:
- There’s still widespread fear
- Workers are questioning need to go into the office and risk infection from transportation system and workplace when they can work effectively from home
- Concerns about liability
- Cost of redesigning offices to allow for social distancing
- Wearing masks in the office – what message does that send?
- What happens when 2nd wave hits?
- During pandemics there’s almost always a 2nd and sometimes 3rd wave of infection that can be even more dangerous
- Highly likely in September, October, November 2nd wave will require additional social distancing
- May occur before there’s a reestablishment of the new normal
Supply-chain:
- Start to see re-calculation of critical vendors
- In past, squeezed the vendor for the best possible price
- May need the vendors more than the benefit of the lower price
- Want to think about building trust with vendors to cope with 2nd wave
- Infrastructure – broadband specifically – not up to the challenge in terms of commerce (working from home) and education system
We will be changed profoundly – globally, nationally, and locally and personally by COVID:
- Causality we had taken for granted (i.e. if, then) is broken
- Those that succeed on the other side of this will be able to quickly pivot
- The old ways of doing things in so many ways are not working
- Companies that want to succeed past this, can’t rely on what they did before
Three rules of crisis management that do pertain to this situation:
- Deny Denial – if we go into denial on a 2nd wave will be behind
- Redundant Systems – The more important the function the more important it is to have redundant systems
- It’s not over until it’s over – it doesn’t end because we want it to
Poll #2 Results
Watershed principles that unfortunately are in conflict with each other but must be married together as we move past this:
- Agility – essential to any company, agency, or individual responding in this previously unimagined and unpredictable situation
- Trust – Trust takes a long time and requires experience, engagement, history
Key Takeaways:
- Restoration of trust in our institutions will be critical to get back
- Real leadership is humble, looks to support others
- Organizations need to review their mission and value statements and make sure they are living them
- You and your organization will be remembered for how you perform during this crisis/chaos:
- Whether you were self-dealing, told the truth with humility, kindness and humanity
- How you treated your clients, your employees, your suppliers
- Show up for your own people to help them with their pain
- Set the example
- This is a great opportunity to shine, don’t miss it
- Companies that succeed going forward will do what is right
- The silver lining may be the opportunity to change what hasn’t been working
- Accelerate adoption of solutions that enable real-time and continuous location risk monitoring and intelligence