ISARR’s Senior Risk and Security Advisor, Andy Blackwell, examines the challenges knee-jerk responses pose to managing risk and gives practical advice on how to avoid them.
“Anytime something bad happens there is a temptation to immediately jump on the problem with a swift and heavy handed solution”.
This quote from Airborne Law Enforcement’s Safety Wire publication back in July 2014 provides us with a simple description of the long-standing challenge of knee-jerk responses to incidents. Despite the responses invariably being well intentioned, these hasty actions usually lead to ineffective rules and procedures. Whilst the article was focused on safety management, it has much relevance to security and the management of disruptive events. The number of knee-jerk responses resulting from efforts to counter terrorism, combat deadly pandemics, and maintain the integrity of aviation safety and security is high. The challenge of knee-jerk reactions goes way beyond incident management and emergency response, it can impact all areas of personal and organisational decision making, and be aggravated by groupthink.
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