In 1939 Britain was facing a crisis that threatened her very existence as a civilized democracy. She had her back to the wall. The Nazi war machine had smashed its way to the French side of the English Channel and was in sight of England. The fear of an imminent German invasion was real and justified. Britain had no choice but to come up with an effective crisis management plan. Civilization itself was under threat.
It was essential that the British War Cabinet, with its staff, find a safe place to meet in London. It was also very important that the chosen meeting place be able to operate as the hub of a secure communication network linking Britain's armed forces and her allies.
A Safe Meeting Place for the War Cabinet
The place chosen was an underground complex of rooms and passages, protected by tons of concrete, underneath the Treasury building in Whitehall across the road from St. James's Park. It covered three acres and became home to over five hundred people. It became known as the War Cabinet Rooms. The underground command centre was used from 1939 until the end of the war in 1945.
A Master Class in Effective Crisis Management
The War Cabinet Rooms are now open to the public. Visiting the complex is like attending a master class on effective crisis management. The basic procedures successfully followed by Winston Churchill and the British War Cabinet are clear and can be applied by management today. The key to success was reliable management feedback.
Decisions were Recorded and Communicated Immediately
Decisions were taken in the Cabinet Room and were immediately recorded by the support staff which included a team of highly skilled typists who worked day and night on rotation. This was to make sure that all minutes and reports were available without any delay. This also meant that decisions for action were passed on immediately to those responsible to act.
Management Feedback on Action Taken was Immediately Available
At the heart of the complex was the Map Room. On its walls were maps showing the land and sea theatres of war throughout the world. The maps were constantly updated showing the fronts, troop movements, convoy positions and even the position of individual battleships. Up-to-date management feedback was at the center of the successful system.
Communication with the Field and Other Important Role-players was Always Open and Instant
The communication between the War Cabinet and those responsible for carrying out it’s decisions was fast and kept open all the time by way of a series of color coded telephones in the Map Room. These telephones were used to communicate with the intelligence services and other vital role-players, and were known as the “beauty chorus.”
Winston Churchill even had a direct line to the President of the United States. This special telephone was disguised as the Prime Minister's toilet!
Each day the staff in the Map Room prepared a special news sheet for Winston Churchill, the Chiefs of Staff and the War Cabinet. A copy of the news sheet was handed to the King at Buckingham Palace every morning.
Crisis Management Lessons for Today
Coming out of this, there are useful lessons for business today and also for government bodies responsible for delivering on projects funded by public money.
- Communicate decisions quickly to those responsible for carrying them out. Digital communication is getting better and quicker almost by the day. Make sure that contact details on the internet and cell phone are up-to-date and accurate.
- It is vital to have a back system that is constantly updated to ascertain whether goals are being achieved or whether adjustments need to be made as circumstances change.
Sources
Website: wikipedia.org - search for War Cabinet Rooms
Website: http://cwr.iwm.org.uk
Interesting reading: Winston Churchill By His Personal Secretary: Recollections Of The Great Man By A Woman Who Worked for Him. Author: Elizabeth Nel.
Publisher: iUniverse. IBSN 0595468527
Here is a map showing the location of the War Cabinet Rooms: http://cwr.iwm.org.uk/server/show/nav.221
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