Latest news with #crisisManagement
The Guardian
10 hours ago
- The Guardian
Zachary Rolfe offered speaking services on ‘leadership, ethical decision-making' for up to $10,000
Zachary Rolfe, the police officer who was acquitted of murder in 2022 for the shooting death of Kumanjayi Walker, has been offering his services on the speaking circuit, where he could be booked for $5,001-$10,000 to deliver talks on 'leadership, crisis management and ethical decision-making'. Rolfe is named as a speaker at an event for first responders in Parramatta in Sydney on Saturday called Frontline Summit Purpose in Service and Beyond alongside other former first responders. Rolfe posted about the event online, saying: 'It will be a solid day with the right people, pushing the culture in the right direction.' A protest calling for the end to black deaths in custody is planned in Parramatta Square on the day of the event, with the advertisement referencing Rolfe's presence at the event. The organiser of the Frontline Summit has been contacted for comment. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email Rolfe, a former soldier and police officer who now runs a private investigations company, was listed as a speaker on the website of Platinum Speakers, which has nearly 2,000 speakers advertised. His speaker profile appeared to have been removed from the Platinum Speakers website after the company was contacted by Guardian Australia on Monday afternoon. Platinum Speakers said they had never booked a speaking gig for Rolfe, adding: 'We do not work with him.' Before it was taken down, Rolfe's profile on the site described him as 'Soldier Policeman Hero' and said that in his talks he 'speaks from the heart and is backed with experiences very few will endure. He is decorated for bravery and stands tall on the principles of fair play and ethical behaviour.' Walker's death was referenced in Rolfe's speaker biography, which said: 'Zach's career took a dramatic turn following a fatal shooting during an arrest, leading to his arrest and a high-profile murder trial. 'Throughout this gruelling process, he exhibited remarkable resilience, navigating legal complexities with the same focus and determination that characterised his military and policing careers. Acquitted in a landmark decision, Zach's experience offers profound insights into the intersection of law enforcement, justice and media perception. 'Zach Rolfe's journey from soldier to police officer, through a high-profile trial, and on to a new career as a private investigator, underscores his enduring commitment to service, bravery and the pursuit of justice.' Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion Rolfe was found not guilty of murder in relation to the shooting death of Walker in the remote community of Yuendumu, about 300km from Alice Springs. He was also cleared of the alternative charges of manslaughter and engaging in a violent act causing death. The verdict came after an almost five-week trial in the supreme court in Darwin, which heard Rolfe shot Walker, a 19-year-old Warlpiri man, while trying to arrest him. Rolfe defended the charges on the grounds he feared for the life of his partner Adam Eberl and was acting in good faith and 'the reasonable performance of his duties'. A coronial inquest into Walker's death was due to return its findings earlier this month, but has been delayed at the request of the local community, following the death of Kumanjayi White in Alice Springs in May. It will now be handed down on 7 July. Rolfe's manager, Robert Joske, did not reply to requests for comment. Rolfe was contacted for comment.
Entrepreneur
12-05-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Five Elements of a Fail-Proof Contingency Plan-And Why Every Business Needs One
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. You're reading Entrepreneur United Kingdom, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. A supplier goes belly up. Your star employee quits to "travel and recharge." A key investor ghosts. Sh*t happens. And when it does, you either respond with a plan- or react with panic. That's where a contingency plan comes in. Think of it as your business's emergency guardrails: the things that keep you from swerving off the road when reality doesn't match your plan. But a dusty document that sits in Google Drive until a crisis hits? That's not what I'm talking about. A real contingency plan is alive, practiced, and embedded into your operating culture. It's not just about survival—it's about preserving your upside while staying calm and clear-headed under pressure. After years as an entrepreneur, operator, and board member—starting, growing, and selling companies—I've seen the difference a solid plan makes. Here are five elements of a fail-proof contingency plan that I believe every founder, operator, or executive team should bake into their business DNA. 1. Clear Identification of Critical Functions Start by asking: What parts of the business must stay operational, no matter what?This sounds obvious, but many businesses don't truly know their non-negotiables. Revenue might be tied to one warehouse, one formulation partner, or even one person's brain. If that link breaks, can you still deliver? Think in terms of business-critical functions: - Fulfillment and inventory management - Customer communication (especially if you're direct-to-consumer) - Payment processing and cash flow - Regulatory or quality compliance (for CPG and food brands, this is big) - Key relationships—like exclusive manufacturing agreements or licensing deals Identify these and then assess their single points of failure. A fail-proof contingency plan maps out alternatives, timelines, and responsibilities in case any of these pillars wobble. 2. Scenario Planning: Choose Your Own Adventure Your contingency plan isn't about predicting the future. It's about rehearsing it. Start with your top 3–5 plausible but painful scenarios. Here are a few I've seen too many times: - A product recall - A sudden spike or crash in demand - A leadership health crisis - A PR crisis (especially in this screenshot-and-cancel era) - A supply chain breakdown Run tabletop exercises with your leadership team. Assign roles. Time your response. Ask: - What's the first call you make? - Who's the point person? - How do you message it internally and externally? - How long could you operate under this condition? This doesn't have to be a gloom-and-doom drill. It's a confidence builder. I've found teams that run these regularly are calmer, clearer, and far better prepared when the unexpected hits. 3. Real-Time Communication Protocols Contingency planning fails without fast, clear, human-centered communication. Slack threads and long email chains don't cut it in a crisis. You need: - A designated "the buck stops here person" for each type of event - A tiered escalation path (who gets looped in and when) - Pre-drafted internal and external messaging templates - A shared folder with essential info (insurance contacts, backup vendors, legal) And please - practice this. Don't assume everyone knows what "drop everything" really means. Clarity kills confusion. Bonus tip: if you're fully remote or hybrid, build a backup comms plan for when digital systems fail. Sometimes, you just need to say, "If Slack is down, text me." 4. Resource and Cash Buffering Here's the unsexy truth: the best contingency plan is a healthy balance sheet. If you're living paycheck to paycheck as a business, even a minor disruption can trigger a cascade of bad decisions. Think layoffs, emergency loans, or product cuts you didn't want to make. Your plan should define: - Minimum viable cash-on-hand to survive 3, 6, and 12 months of disruption - How and when to tap emergency credit (you do have an emergency credit line, don't you?) - Your burn rate under different revenue scenarios - What gets cut (or doubled down on) first This is your business's immune system. If you're constantly teetering on the edge, contingency planning isn't just nice to have—it's a lifeline. 5. A Bias Toward Action (Not Perfection) The most underrated part of a contingency plan? A culture that's ready to act. When pressure mounts, most teams freeze. Or overthink. Or create five more meetings. But speed matters more than polish. Your plan needs to give people permission to move fast—with just enough structure to avoid chaos. Build trust by empowering teams in advance. A fail-proof plan gives room for: - Fast decisions without senior sign-off - Pre-approved vendor or budget swaps - Clear rules for temporary protocol changes - Honest debriefs after the storm passes (what worked, what didn't) This is where culture and planning meet. Because in the end, it's not the plan itself—it's the team's muscle memory that turns adversity into momentum. Build the Ark Before It Rains We all want to believe things will go according to plan. They won't. But with a real contingency plan—one that's dynamic, realistic, and connected to your core values—you won't just survive the storm. You'll emerge stronger. This isn't fear-based business. It's resilient entrepreneurship. You're building something worth protecting. So give it the guardrails it deserves.
