Early Riser
I thought I'd check in this morning before today's schedule gets under way. Yesterday afternoon I went to a breakout session about supply chain security. Let me back up-- the world depends on a global supply chain to keep our cars running with enough fuel, our grocery stores stocked with food, as well as daily delivery of life-saving medications. Businesses that operate within the United States recognize that when a severe pandemic strikes, they will need to formulate a plan to continue operations and protect their employees. At the supply chain breakout, I almost felt like there were more questions than answers. One overarching theme: the government cannot step in and save everyone. The role that the government has assumed up until this point with respect to pandemic influenza is to issue information and guidelines. There have been very few federal mandates. I am interested to find out (and will definitely be asking Dr. Osterholm when we return) whether there is any movement toward government mandates for business preparedness plans. If it did happen, would it be any good?
As Nick had mentioned, we had a few minutes with Secretary Albright yesterday evening. It was kind of a funny situation because we were all milling around a hallway, locked out of the room that we were supposed to be using, and then all of a sudden Dr. Osterholm, John Barry, and she showed up at once. I think that we all were a little flustered, and when we were asked if anyone had any questions for Secretary Albright. An uncomfortable silence, and then I broke the ice by yammering a question I thought of the other night: What were her strategies for convincing someone of a policy when they don't really care about it? She said it was important to know the facts, and that sometimes you had to scare the audience (Echoes of Sandman's talk earlier that day came back to me).
Later, John Barry also added that dogged determination & persistence are also important skills to have. He said that it took him 7 years to write "The Great Influenza", and that he never would have started writing it had he known that it would take so long. Also, at the time pandemic flu was not on the world's radar screen. Fortunately for his book sales, it quickly has become a well-deserved concern.