After a crisis, reflect on lessons learned and what to take into the future

When the pandemic lifts, we’ll be working to recover and move forward, and there may be little time to assess what we’ve learned over the last several months.

Debriefing has been widely documented in professional settings as critical to high functioning. The goals are to discuss what happened or is happening, encourage reflection and improve future performance. The process helps put an event or situation into perspective, offer clarity and establish a process for moving forward.

Like all debriefings, discussions should not be limited to top leadership. The operational and procedural changes made during the pandemic affect everybody, so meetings need to include representatives from all levels and areas of the organization, as well as internal and external stakeholders.

The idea is to unravel what happened, the overall impact and who played what role. It is definitely not focused on finding a scapegoat to blame for anything that went wrong.

Rather, we want to discover what we should keep or improve, and identify what caused problems so we can figure out what could or should have been done differently.

Most importantly, it’s essential to reflect on lessons learned and what we want to take into the future.

Think of debriefing as an effective continuous improvement tool focused on:

• Accessing the knowledge of all individuals involved — what did they notice, and what do they think could have been done differently?

• Identifying what worked well and what needs improvement.

• Engaging in open, safe discussions in which all team members get a say, regardless of seniority, because the people who do the job every day know how to solve the problems.

• Challenging existing policies, protocols and assumptions.

• Creating a clear and specific future plan that includes new knowledge.

Process facilitators will be able to function in that role better if they don’t have a stake in the outcome. If that isn’t possible, they should share their biases as soon as they realize they have them, and encourage others to point them out if they notice them first.

A debriefing that contributes to learning, growth and culture change needs to take place around a significant event, such as the one we’re currently experiencing, and may require more than one session to mine its full impact.

The question of when to debrief is more fluid. If it’s in response to an incident or completion of a project, debriefing should occur more quickly than it might for a prolonged event, where several sessions may be required.

Debriefings sustain what works and improve what doesn’t.

There shouldn’t be a big difference in debriefing something that has gone wrong or gone right. When there is a procedure for analyzing positive or negative situations, there is a better chance that recommended actions will be implemented.

Let’s take this current and unprecedented crisis as an example. It’s tempting to just look at the downsides, but from what I’m hearing from my work in both the private and public sectors, there are many upsides:

• Our technology has allowed us to not only continue being productive, but to work in different and more creative ways. For instance, someone told me she’s no longer going to drive an hour to and from a meeting that she can as easily conduct online.

• We have never been more connected to the world because we are all experiencing the same thing.

• Kindness has increased, with people reaching out to colleagues, family and friends in ways they never have. And, surprisingly, donations to those in need have increased.

• Zoom is like Sesame Street: We see each other from the shoulders up, but at least we’re seeing each other and that’s better than not being aware of body language at all.

• Physical distancing and work-from-home requirements may be bringing us closer together because they require us to communicate in more creative ways.

• Time with family has dramatically increased for many. This may well be the most endearing experience and lasting memory arising from this historical era.

And the list goes on. So, how do we not waste a crisis?

Think about the following:

• What have we learned?

• What do we want to retain?

• What do we want to leave behind?

• What do we need to change now?

If we don’t engage in such an assessment, we’re likely to return to pre-pandemic behavior, and that might not be wise.

Gerri King, a social psychologist and organizational consultant, is president of Human Dynamics Associates Inc., in Concord.