How great leaders avoid disaster: the value of contingency planning

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss how leaders can benefit from better contingency planning. Design/methodology/approach – This paper is a viewpoint from an acclaimed organizational advisor and specialist in strategic planning. Findings – The paper gives examples of good and bad contingency planning, and offers advice on how to put together a plan. Practical implications – This paper will help managers develop and implement better strategic contingency plans. Originality/value – This paper will be very useful for practitioners wanting to learn about contingency planning, or considering whether to write a plan or not. It gives clear step‐by‐step instructions, and uses well‐known examples from practice.