Mistakes Are Inevitable: Choose to Invest in Recovery Capacity

When past winters were settling in, my family always took comfort with homemade cocoa. Last winter, one instance of preparing the hot beverage turned into a lesson about the nature of mistakes and the importance of planning for them. As my children worked together in the kitchen, one of my older daughters inadvertently spilled cocoa on one of her favorite sweaters. I stepped in, ready to help, and decided to soak the stained sweater in our utility sink as part of the cleaning process.

Filling the sink took longer than anticipated, so I left the room to tend to another task – and briefly lost track of time. Suddenly remembering the soaking sweater, I rushed into the laundry room and discovered that the sink had overflowed. Thankfully, only a quick cleanup was required. Better yet, the incident provided a valuable reminder about recovery capacity, or the ability to effectively respond to human error and unforeseen events.

Learning From Our Mistakes
In the aftermath of the laundry room mishap, I found myself considering the overflow hole, a small yet crucial design element common to many bathroom sinks. It serves as a safeguard, ensuring water has an escape route if an overfill occurs. This prompted a question: If bathroom sink overflows can be prevented by a simple precautionary feature, what precautionary features or systems have utility organizations implemented to handle mistakes and unforeseen events – and are they the right ones?

Errors are inevitable in any environment. The key to facilitating recovery is ensuring systems are in place that enable quick responses and minimize consequences when things go awry. Organizations should consider these four areas when planning for mistakes:

1. Preventive measures. It is prudent to identify and address errors before they escalate. These activities could involve process audits, training and/or real-time monitoring systems.
2. Rapid recovery protocols. Organizations should develop recovery plans (e.g., clear communication strategies, designated roles for crisis management) to help them bounce back swiftly after mistakes occur.
3. Feedback loops. Creating a culture that promotes learning from errors can result in process improvements that prevent recurrences.
4. Flexibility and adaptability. Systems should be designed with a focus on preventing mistakes while also remaining adaptable, enabling teams to respond effectively in unexpected situations.

Theory Into Practice
Errors can have significant implications in the utility sector, which means electric power organizations must have adequate recovery capacity to remain viable. Following are five real-world examples that demonstrate this capacity and reinforce key concepts discussed above.

1. San Diego Gas & Electric wildfire preparedness. In response to increased wildfire threats, SDG&E implemented rigorous protocols to minimize risks associated with its electrical infrastructure. The utility established a comprehensive wildfire mitigation plan that included enhanced vegetation management and power shutoff strategies during high-risk weather events.

Lessons reinforced: This is one example of implementing preventive measures to avoid catastrophic consequences. SDG&E also emphasized rapid recovery protocols – such as communication with customers – to address potential outages and safety concerns, showcasing effective recovery capacity.

2. Pacific Gas & Electric pipeline explosion response. The 2010 San Bruno pipeline explosion in California resulted in significant loss of life and property. In its aftermath, PG&E experienced intense scrutiny regarding its safety protocols and operational procedures. The company committed to substantial infrastructure improvements, implementing rigorous pipeline testing and monitoring while enhancing its emergency response capabilities.

Lessons reinforced: This case highlights the importance of learning from mistakes. PG&E’s response fostered an organizational culture centered on safety and accountability, helping to ensure that systems would be established for rapid recovery following unforeseen incidents.

3. Duke Energy outage management system enhancements. Facing challenges with customer communication during extensive weather-related outages, Duke invested in an enhanced outage management system that integrates real-time data. This has enabled improved tracking of outage conditions and faster response team deployment.

Lessons reinforced: This example emphasizes the significance of rapid recovery protocols, including effective communication strategies, to ensure that customers are promptly informed and impacts are minimized when outages occur.

4. Florida Power & Light storm readiness. FPL has made significant strides in preparing for hurricanes and other severe storms by reinforcing its infrastructure and implementing community education programs on storm preparedness. The company conducts drills, uses advanced technology to monitor weather patterns, and maintains clear lines of communication with customers about safety and power restoration efforts.

Lessons reinforced: FPL’s proactive measures help reduce the impact of storms in its service territory. By planning ahead and establishing clear recovery procedures, utilities can better minimize risks and strengthen their overall resilience.

5. Reliant Energy customer service improvements. Following a major blackout in 2008, Reliant faced customer backlash due to poor communication and slow response times. The company seized this opportunity to enhance its crisis management and customer service systems, introducing improved staff training, implementing new technologies to provide timely updates to customers, and developing a more robust feedback mechanism for understanding customer needs during outages.

Lessons reinforced: Reliant’s experience highlights the importance of establishing feedback loops and fostering an organizational culture that embraces learning from mistakes. By recognizing past errors and implementing necessary adjustments, the company improved its recovery capacity and customer satisfaction.

Conclusion
As we navigate our lives – filled with risks at work, at home and in between – let us embrace the lessons learned from both our everyday experiences and industry practices. Mistakes are a natural part of any process, so we should focus on developing the systems needed to effectively manage setbacks. By fostering a culture of learning, implementing preventive measures and establishing clear communication protocols, utility organizations can transform potential pitfalls into growth opportunities.

About the Author: Shawn M. Galloway is CEO of ProAct Safety (https://proactsafety.com) and an author of several bestselling books. As an award-winning consultant, trusted adviser, expert witness, leadership coach and keynote speaker, he has helped hundreds of organizations within every primary industry improve safety systems, strategy, culture, leadership and engagement. Galloway also hosts the highly acclaimed weekly podcast series “Safety Culture Excellence.”