The difference between real and false panic

We always advise that people put good time into preparation, as it typically benefits both your business and your people. However, there are two types of panic we see, false panic and real panic. As change specialists, we’re used to both – and we like to think we’re good at spotting them both, too!

False panic manifests itself in two ways:

1. People having limited capacity and feeling like they are running out of time

This form of panic is typically appropriate, can actually be quite healthy and constitutes the majority of scenarios that we are trained to resolve. It’s false panic because, typically, the affected individual(s) actually has plenty of time, they just need us to help with the capacity so that they can resolve their issue before it grows into a bigger problem.

2. People creating panic to make their priority yours

By contrast, this type of false panic is completely unnecessary and is born out of poor planning. It’s essentially where a person or company fails to deal with a task or issue and then passes it on when they have let it get out of hand. This form of false panic is particularly prevalent with companies who are setting up an entity in the UK for the first time, have just realised that they are not ready for an impending government inspection and need someone to get them ready within 24 hours.

If you leave something until it’s too late, and you only plan to act when the risk you knew might happen becomes an un-manageable issue, typically the only help you’ll get is a ‘good luck’!

Real panic

Real panic can happen when a company has had a genuine oversight and urgently needs us to get them back on track, which is generally a simple fix. We can typically come in, act as an independent partner and, by concentrating on people first and being business-focused, we can typically reduce your panic.

We would always rather that you contacted us as a proactive measure (to prepare for an instance of real panic, ahead of time) rather than reaching out as a reactive measure (when the real panic has already set in because you have left something too late). We also find that a no obligation conversation is not only a great way to prepare for what might come, but also to build a strong rapport between yourselves and us.

So, next time you ‘P.A.N.I.C’ remember to ask yourself, is it real or false panic? Help is available for both forms, just ensure that you are seeking the help you need as early as you possibly can! Whether you need urgent support to resolve an issue, expert guidance or you simply just want to get ahead of the curve, we are ready to help.