Last week’s IT outage caused global chaos, including for my wife Sheila, who was stuck at the airport with a five-hour delay. The cause was a flawed software update released by the cybersecurity company CrowdStrike, which primarily impacted Microsoft’s operating systems, leading to failures across companies and individuals using Microsoft applications.
Despite the horrific, widespread impact of the recent IT outage, I view it as a valuable learning experience. Many IT community members initially suspected a cyber hack, but the incident was a legitimate error. This provided a unique opportunity for companies to evaluate their response strategies and fortify their systems.
It also reminded me of why I became involved in resilience work. It began with governments and businesses’ shifts in thinking after 9/11 to strengthen their infrastructure following catastrophic events. Then Hurricane Katrina taught us how to use nature’s inherent capabilities to create wetlands and alternative energy systems to address natural disasters. Finally, my own personal experiences with grief and loss taught me about the power of my inherent biology, which helps me in my healing. Resilience encompasses multiple environmental, organizational, and personal areas.
Remembering my mantra that resilience is all about minimizing and mitigating stress, here are some ways to build on this event as a way of strengthening your resilience:
- Contingent vs. Preventive Action: Too often, we respond to events rather than prepare beforehand. Microsoft and CrowdStrike likely had rapid response units to respond to this crisis, but you can be sure they will put more safeguards in place after this event. As individuals, we can evaluate the plans we have for our lives, such as a fire escape plan for our home and even how we plan to grow our careers. Simple planning actions help avoid the stress of responding to a crisis.
- Start Incrementally: CrowdStrike released their update to all their customers instead of “beta testing” it with a few smaller clients. If there are changes that we want to make in our own lives, we can start small. If you wish to change your career, begin research by talking with other people. Wanting to improve your relationships, start by becoming a better listener.
- Create Options: Sheila and I immediately looked for alternative flights for her book tour. She accessed the airline club to wait out and enjoyed food and drink in a more relaxed environment. Ultimately, she stuck with her original flight and, at the gate, received good news that she was bumped up to first class, as some passengers opted not to fly. Having backup plans can turn a stressful situation into a delightful one.
- Look for the Good: One colleague said he would have been furious if he had experienced this outage and been at the airport. I asked him what getting angry would achieve for him or the airport staff. Stuff happens, and given that we hear about this possibility constantly, it’s surprising that it doesn’t happen more often.
- Cybersecurity: Use this event to check your cybersecurity measures. Ensure your data is backed up, you have malware protection, and you use strong passwords with multi-factor authentication. Consider using a password manager and even exploring cybersecurity insurance.
We will have more oops in our lives, some caused by human error and some by chance. The better we get at being resilient, the easier it is to address unexpected events.
© Richard Citrin 2024
