The world is facing unprecedented challenges due to the ongoing wars, conflicts, and crises in various regions. Technology founders, who are often at the forefront of innovation and disruption, have to deal with the risks and uncertainties that come with operating in such volatile environments. How do they create operational resilience while navigating war and crisis? What are the best practices and lessons learned from their experiences?
Operational Resilience: A Key Capability for Tech Founders
Operational resilience is the ability of an organization to continue to deliver its critical products and services, or to recover them quickly, in the face of adverse events. It is not only about preventing or mitigating disruptions, but also about adapting and evolving in response to changing circumstances. Operational resilience is especially important for tech founders, who have to cope with the fast-paced and dynamic nature of the technology sector, as well as the external threats and opportunities that arise from war and crisis.
According to a Forbes article, some of the benefits of operational resilience for tech founders include:
- Enhancing customer trust and loyalty by providing consistent and reliable service, even during difficult times.
- Reducing operational costs and losses by minimizing the impact of disruptions and avoiding unnecessary expenses.
- Improving competitive advantage and market position by being able to respond faster and better than competitors, and by seizing new opportunities that emerge from the crisis.
- Strengthening organizational culture and morale by fostering a sense of purpose, collaboration, and empowerment among employees and stakeholders.
How to Achieve Operational Resilience: Best Practices and Examples
The Forbes article also provides some practical tips and examples of how tech founders can achieve operational resilience in times of war and crisis. Some of the key points are:
- Identify and prioritize critical operations and processes that are essential for delivering the core value proposition and meeting customer expectations. For example, Airbnb, the online marketplace for short-term rentals, identified its customer service and trust and safety teams as critical operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, and invested in enhancing their capabilities and capacity.
- Assess and manage the risks and vulnerabilities that could affect the critical operations and processes, and develop contingency plans and mitigation strategies. For example, Stripe, the online payment platform, conducted a comprehensive risk assessment and implemented various measures to ensure the security and availability of its infrastructure and data, such as encrypting data at rest and in transit, using multiple cloud providers, and having backup systems and data centers.
- Leverage technology and innovation to enable operational resilience, such as using cloud computing, artificial intelligence, automation, and blockchain. For example, Zipline, the drone delivery company, used its technology to deliver medical supplies and vaccines to remote and conflict-affected areas, such as Rwanda and Ghana, during the pandemic and other emergencies.
- Build a resilient culture and mindset among the employees and stakeholders, by promoting a shared vision, values, and goals, and by encouraging collaboration, communication, and learning. For example, Zoom, the video conferencing platform, fostered a culture of resilience by empowering its employees to make decisions, communicate openly, and learn from feedback, as it scaled up its operations and faced various challenges during the pandemic.
Operational Resilience: A Continuous Journey for Tech Founders
Operational resilience is not a one-time project or a static state, but a continuous journey that requires constant monitoring, evaluation, and improvement. Tech founders need to be agile and proactive in adapting to the changing environment and customer needs, and in anticipating and preparing for potential disruptions and opportunities. By building operational resilience, tech founders can not only survive, but also thrive, in times of war and crisis.
