Defining "Contingency Planning"

I don't think contingency planning should be looked at as strictly a positive or negative plan. A contingency plan is any plan designed to respond to changes or challenges to an organizations current action plan. When an organization develops a plan for growth there are three options on what can happen with the plan. The plan fulfills expectations and will continue to work going forward. The plan is not successful and adjustments need to be made for going forward. The plan exceeds expectations and adjustments need to be made. When the plan is not successful or exceeds expectations there will need to be changes made to the plan to continue to move forward. I believe this is where contingency planning comes in but it can either be for a positive or negative need.

I have coached pee-wee football for the past 6 years and each year we have a new group of kids come into the organization. There are always adjustments that need to be made because what worked for the team last year may not work this year depending on the personnel and their individual progression in abilities. There are also factors of new coaches coming onto the staff and how that affects the dynamics of the team. Within the league we are in there are 9 other teams that have the same changes and difficulties each year.

As within a business we have contingency plans for our team to adjust to these changes of new players, new coaches and the changes within other teams. Some changes are positive, some negative but all require us to be able and willing to adjust when necessary.