In discussing resiliency and the benefits of being more resilient, I have used the line "A resilient target is an unattractive target." I believe that to be largely true although there are some people, computer hackers for example, who do search for the toughest targets to attack. But for the slightly less daring, it seems to me their goal would be maximum damage at minimum effort. I have tried to find references on military bombing target selection doctrine, but I have been unsuccessful. But I would daresay that of a long list of criteria for choosing a target for attack (threat, damage to enemy, force protection, enemy disruption, etc.) the target being highly resilient would generally not move it to the top of the priority list. Why waste a bomb if the target will either not be destroyed, significantly disrupted, or recover to pre-attack capability real soon? So, I submit that a resilient business is likewise an unattractive target to intentional harmful acts. This holds true for the IT systems, physical facilities, the supply chain, the workforce, company reputation, fiduciary systems, and core business processes. Individuals or groups intending harm will more than likely select "weaker" targets and pass up the stronger more resilient target. The same idea holds true for geographic regions from communities, citites, regions, and the country. Being weak and less-than-resilient invites a calamitous result to an intentional harmful act. Obviously, it is also not helpful with respect to natural events. To quote Lois Clark McCoy, leader of the National Institute for Urban Search and Rescue, "Mother Nature is the number one terrorist." The context of the comment was to encoutage adequate attention to natural disaster recovery. Lois is a nature lover! So, just because an entity is an unattractive target does not mean that it won't become an actual target. But, the very nature of being resilient means the entity will deflect, absorb, mitigate the impacts, and quickly recover from the attack. Since we can't be 100% secure, 100% prepared, or 100% protected, we darn well should be resiient. Darryl Moody
Resilient Corporation
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