Deciding on Safe Hands

Business Continuity Awareness week 2025, from the Business Continuity Institute (BCI) has just drawn to a close. One of the biggest discussions this year was getting trusted help in a more complex environment.

The Value of Experience

Resilience—whether in business, community planning, or personal development—is not just about surviving challenges but thriving in the face of them.

Organizations and individuals seeking expert guidance on resilience face critical choices: they start with where to get the best advice.

Should they seek experience or opt for someone new to the field? While emerging consultants talk the language and discuss fresh perspectives, they can often lack experience and depth, qualifications and knowledge, real-world expertise, and even proven strategies that makes the seasoned practitioner stand out head and shoulders.

Finding Deep Knowledge and Practical Understanding

Resilience is a complex, multifaceted discipline encompassing risk management, analysis, crisis response, strategic foresight, and adaptive leadership.

Yes theoretical knowledge is essential, but applying these concepts effectively in high-stakes situations demands experience. A seasoned resilience expert is often found as having navigated a range of crises—economic downturns, cyber threats, natural disasters, and organisational disruptions—offering clients a level of preparedness that cannot be taught in textbooks or training sessions. For the shopper that is a great first place to look - do they stand up to scrutiny.

Experienced professionals understand resilience not just as a set of best practices but as a dynamic, evolving capability shaped by real-world variables. They anticipate challenges and provide solutions based on an intricate understanding of industry-specific risks, something newcomers often struggle to deal when challenged in depth.

Proven Strategies and Delivery

All organisations need strategies that work—not just theories, rhetoric or untested ideas. The veteran comes fully equipped with frameworks that have been refined through years of practical application. Thats a great second place to look, have they delivered?

With knowledge, experience and understanding they know which approaches yield tangible results and which are ineffective in specific situations, and will waste time and resources. Their ability to draw on past successes and failures enables them to craft custom strategies, ensuring each client benefits from tried-and-tested resilience-building methodologies.

Furthermore, seasoned professionals demonstrate adaptability. Their catalogue of delivery will demonstrate that to the keen interviewer, because they’ve witnessed how resilience tactics evolve in response to emerging threats and shifting market dynamics, they can pivot swiftly when necessary. A less experienced consultant may rely on standard protocols without the nuanced ability to adjust them in real time.

Strong Networks and Credibility

An experienced expert often brings with them a vast network of industry professionals, risk analysts, government contacts, and subject matter experts. Don't undervalue these connections as they can be invaluable when navigating crises, providing clients access to additional support and resources that might otherwise be unavailable. Number three on the things to look out for.

Credibility plays a vital role in resilience. Organisations must trust that the advice they receive is both reliable and actionable. A track record of success, backed by years of working with high-profile clients, inspires confidence. In contrast, a newcomer, even if trained, may struggle to establish the same level of trust and authority.

Cost-Effectiveness in the Long Run

Hiring an experienced critical friend does not always mean a higher investment upfront, couple that with their expertise and organisations make significant savings in time and money. Mistakes in any planning are costly—both financially and in reputational damage.

The efficiency and accuracy of the seasoned professional minimises risks, ensures organisations implement the most effective resilience strategies without costly trial-and-error.

Conclusion

Resilience is not a field where experience and delivery experience can be overlooked.

The ability to foresee challenges, implement proven strategies, and adapt under pressure makes the seasoned resilience expert an invaluable asset.

While new start ups have potential, organisations looking for results and reliability should prioritize hiring experts with real-world knowledge.

In the end, experience can mean the difference between merely surviving adversity and emerging stronger from it.