Crisis management is above all being adaptive
According to Kalkman, crises are not fundamentally different than they were 10 or 20 years ago. "These developments raise questions for how crisis management should be organized. Of course, developments such as climate change, geopolitical threats and cyber threats play a role. There are also assumptions that firefighting and crisis management should be primarily hierarchical. That you have a strong leader who oversees and directs everything. We see, crisis after crisis, that in reality situations change faster than a team can keep up. Those who wait too long to get the complete picture will be too late; the situation is actually over by then. By definition, crisis situations come with a high degree of uncertainty. You will always have to improvise to some extent." What makes crisis organizations truly crisis-ready is adaptability, according to Kalkman. "Being able to move with what is needed at the time. That often means working more decentralized, with decision-making lower down in the organization, closer to current events. And that's quite a big challenge." So this means continuous practice and training.
Information-driven working crucial, but not beatific
Information-driven working is a key concept in modern crisis management. As far as Kalkman is concerned, this is about quickly gathering, sharing and analyzing information to make better decisions. But he also warns that you start assuming you understand what the crisis looks like and how it will develop. "One pitfall is that data creates a false sense of control as the crisis evolves. Information is out of date, sometimes after a few minutes." That's why information-driven work requires more than good systems. It also requires people who understand each other's language, can translate jargon and know each other before the crisis. Kalkman: "We need to invest not only in hardware and software, but above all in people: how do you communicate effectively with other organizations?"
Resilient society: less 'me', more 'us'
Self-reliance was high on the agenda from the government last year: purchase emergency kits, make sure you have a plan on how to save yourself for 72 hours. "I'm a bit skeptical of that approach and am more nuanced about it. Of course the government cannot always be everywhere immediately, but the basic premise remains that providing help is a government task. After all, it is one of the basic tasks we assign to the government to be there for the citizens precisely in situations of threat and uncertainty. It is good, however, that the government is encouraging society to think about it. When we talk about resilience, we must guard against a too individualistic approach. So stay away from the whole individualistic frame of "save yourself. Instead, we need to move toward a social, communal way of preparing." Resilience, according to Kalkman, is primarily in communities: neighborhoods where people know each other, encounter each other and feel responsible for each other - almost have a duty to each other. "Communities where people know each other and feel responsible for each other are the most resilient. So you can definitely organize resilience," he believes.
Aggression against social workers
One trend that worries Jori Kalkman is aggression against social workers. "You see it particularly at the turn of the year, events and soccer coming back to an extreme degree. It is mainly a mirror for society itself. Aggression against emergency workers is not only a problem of the emergency services. It is a problem of all of us." His message is clear: set standards and you have a primary role to hold each other accountable for this behavior.
Recruitment: show development opportunities
Kalkman is not necessarily pessimistic about the future of crisis organizations. Just look at the significant increase in the number of people employed by the Defense Department. He sees that the tide can turn. "After all, if people see that there is investment, that you can develop and do meaningful work, then they are willing to choose a crisis organization," he explains. And volunteers also remain indispensable, according to the scientist. "Their role is growing. Not only in the fire department, but also in spontaneous citizen assistance. Then preparation is crucial: people want to help, but also need to know how. We must not only encourage them to help, but also give them training and resources."
Meeting and building trust
At eRIC, Jori Kalkman will personally come to share a story about adaptive organizations at a time when we face more frequent disruptive events and disasters. "I offer advice based on research on organizations that have operated in the most extreme circumstances. Who had to choose, act and collaborate precisely with very limited information." And that's why meetings at eRIC are so valuable. Not only to share knowledge, but also for trust. "Because in a crisis, sometimes one thing counts the most: knowing who to call. Then you have to have each other's number. You only build that trust if you have seen and spoken to each other," he concludes.
Want to know more? Visit Jori Kalkman 's lecture during eRIC on April 22, Vliegveld Twenthe, in lecture room 1