Houston, TX. is undergoing a world of hurt right now. Some say that certain public officials were warned but didn’t do enough to prepare. True or not, their plight should serve as a warning to all of us about the need to prepare for emergencies.
In your home and in your office, you need tools and supplies. Â You need food and water, first aid kits, fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, flashlights, batteries, and tools to shut off the gas and water.
You also need to know what you will do if there’s a fire, flood, or earthquake. How will you get out? How will you communicate if phones are down?
Take some time to craft a plan and make sure everyone you care about has a copy.
But that’s just the beginning. You also need a plan in case of financial and business disasters.
What will you do if a Bar complaint or a lawsuit is filed against you? Who will you call? What will you say or do?
Put it in writing so if and when it happens, you don’t have to think about it, you can just “do”.
What should your family and employees or partners do if you become incapacitated or die? Put it in writing.
What will you do if a major client leaves and takes a third of your revenue with them? What will you do if you suffer a big financial loss due to embezzlement, bad investments, or partnership disputes?
If something big could go wrong, you should have a plan in place to address it.
While you’re thinking about what to do if disaster strikes, you should also think about what you can do to prevent it and/or mitigate your losses.
Make sure you have redundant systems in place for your calendars. Make sure your client data is encrypted and stored safely. Make sure you have enough insurance and enough cash in savings.
Yeah, I know, it’s no fun being an adult. But these things have to be done. If you find yourself procrastinating, or you realize you’re not very good at this sort of thing, ask someone else to do it. Ask your spouse, your office administrator, or a lawyer-friend for help.
Just make sure you get it done.
Be safe, not sorry. Make sure you have a plan in place for getting referrals
