Building Resilience: Preparing for, Managing, & Recovering from Disruptive Cyber Events

In this episode, Greg Lestini and Jeff Knight dive into the critical world of risk management and business continuity with Tom Perry of 1Resilience, a seasoned expert whose journey spans fire service, law enforcement, and public-sector risk management. His broad experience offers a unique lens on preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disruptive events.

Tom discusses the essence of continuity as ensuring the seamless operation of business-critical functions before, during, and after an incident. He emphasizes the importance of proactive planning and preparation, including tailored safety and security strategies, robust training, and awareness programs. According to Tom, no organization is immune to incidents, but thoughtful preparation can significantly reduce the impact and help companies thrive beyond survival.

The group explores the incident management lifecycle, from pre-event preparations like developing actionable plans to post-event recovery strategies. Tom highlights the importance of avoiding the "blame game" during incidents, as it delays response and amplifies the crisis. Instead, companies should focus on maintaining clear, client-specific plans—whether checklists, flowcharts, or other tools—to manage cascading events effectively.

Tom also explains the costs and challenges of recovery, underscoring the importance of using incidents as learning opportunities. Companies should document timelines, analyze events, and create comprehensive reviews for leadership to build stronger strategies for the future. He also underscores the inevitability of incidents and the need for resilience-focused solutions.

Tom’s goal is to provide organizations with a clear, actionable roadmap to mitigate risks and ensure they’re not just reacting to events but are prepared to move forward stronger than ever before.