What India Inc can learn from Odisha's successful handling of Fani crisis

The management of the ravages of a natural disaster and the process of rehabilitation thereafter is complex. It is a collective challenge for those involved to ensure that their efforts not only mitigate the extent of current damage but also minimise the likelihood of future disasters by addressing the inherent vulnerabilities. 

This rule applies equally to corporate disasters from which recovery often seems long and arduous.

The Odisha government's recent successful handling of Cyclone Fani and its aftermath — in keeping the loss of life and numbers of affected people to a minimum —offer valuable lessons in disaster preparation and quick response. Business Standard spoke to a host of corporate leaders to understand the takeaways for them from the episode and three things stood out in particular: The first is, to mitigate the ravages of a crisis it is important to disseminate preparedness information. This covers how a disaster may unfold, the consequences, and the plan for implementation of preventive measures. The second is examination of available data. Looking at past disasters gives a fair view of who are the most vulnerable and best ways to reach out to them. The third, and probably most important, is the value of unity. Times of crisis demand that people work together and develop common goals.

“This experience holds important lessons for management professionals in terms of crisis management, successful learning from past experiences, the value of preparedness and prior training, and in being nimble and adaptive,” says professor Sanket Mohapatra, faculty member at Indian Institute of Management (Ahmedabad) and former senior economist at World Bank. He adds that determination aside, the evacuation effort in the aftermath of Fani reflects a result-driven mindset and has shaken the prevalent view of the government bureaucracy as being "less efficient than the private sector".

Aditya Ghosh, chief executive officer, India and South Asia, OYO Hotels and Homes, feels the episode highlights the merits of early preparation. “Preparation is key to good decision-making and the strategy and planning that go into predicting and navigating problems make all the difference on execution day,” he says. He is lavish in his praise for the Odisha state authorities handling the Fani crisis. “The massive coordination before, during and after the cyclone, especially in terms of managing evacuation and relief logistics has been exemplary. As a group of people following a common goal, when we commit to not just getting the job done but doing it in a way that we set benchmarks and pursue excellence, mountains move and magic happens.” 

Umesh Dahl, CRO, LG Electronics India, recommends a case study to be made of the way Odisha managed the evacuation and for him, the first, timely warning is a key lesson. “We must give a lot of credit to the met department for making an accurate prediction. Future sensing is a skill by itself and that also helped all other agencies to come together and fulfill their responsibilities in a cohesive manner,” he says.

Agility, focus and determination, and learning from the past are three lessons Moksh Chopra, chief marketing officer, KFC India, has drawn from the evacuation effort. “Tourists in coastal areas were advised to leave; shelters were stocked up with food, bottled water and other necessary provisions. At the same time, 300 power boats, two helicopters and many chain saws were on stand-by to deal with the aftermath. Preparing for every possible outcome is essential to any planning exercise,” adds Chopra.  

Ghosh also sees in the Fani crisis management a valuable lesson in harnessing the power of the youth. “It was heartening to see the role of volunteers especially thousands of young people in Odisha who worked shoulder to shoulder with the National Disaster Management Authority and the local administration. It is important that companies harness the potential and the spirit of innovation that millennials bring to the table.” He mentions that at OYO, all employees are referred to as OYOpreneurs since “we value their tenacity and the entrepreneurial spirit they embody”.

Ghosh’s remarks also sum up most of the insights received in the pursuit of this article: “Only great teams are able to deal with massive changes; they can mitigate risks and rise up again.”