Tabletop Exercises: Why Every Woman Business Owner Needs This Powerful Preparedness Tool
As a business owner, you've worked hard to build something meaningful. You've created systems, nurtured client relationships, and developed a reputation you're proud of. But have you considered what would happen if a crisis suddenly threatened everything you've built?
This is where tabletop exercises come in—a simple yet powerful tool that can help you protect your business when the unexpected happens.
What Is a Tabletop Exercise?
A tabletop exercise is essentially a practice session for emergencies. Think of it like a fire drill, but for your business operations. Instead of physically evacuating a building, you're mentally walking through how you would respond to a crisis situation.
During a tabletop exercise, you and your team gather around a table (or these days, often a Zoom call) to discuss how you would handle a specific scenario. The facilitator presents a realistic situation—like a cybersecurity breach, natural disaster, or operational disruption—and guides the group through a series of questions about how they would respond.
There's no actual implementation of your emergency plans during the exercise. Instead, it's a conversation that helps you identify gaps in your planning, clarify roles and responsibilities, and build confidence in your ability to handle a real crisis.
Why Tabletop Exercises Matter for Women Business Owners
As women business owners, we often wear multiple hats and carry numerous responsibilities. When a crisis hits, the pressure intensifies, and clear thinking becomes challenging. Tabletop exercises provide several specific benefits:
They reveal gaps in your planning before a real crisis occurs. It's much better to discover you don't know who to call or what to do during a practice session than during an actual emergency.
They build muscle memory for decision-making under pressure. When you've practiced your response, you're less likely to freeze when facing the real thing.
They clarify roles and responsibilities. Everyone learns exactly what they should do in a crisis, eliminating confusion when minutes matter.
They protect your reputation and client relationships. A swift, organized response minimizes damage and demonstrates professionalism.
They reduce recovery time and costs. Businesses that have practiced their response typically recover faster and spend less money doing so.
How a Tabletop Exercise Works
Here's what happens in a typical tabletop exercise:
1. Set Clear Objectives
Before beginning, decide what you want to achieve. Are you testing your response to a data breach? Evaluating how you'd handle a sudden loss of access to your systems? Understanding how you'd communicate with clients during a crisis?
2. Create a Realistic Scenario
The facilitator presents a scenario relevant to your business. For example:
"It's Monday morning. Your assistant texts you: 'I think I clicked something weird in an email. Now my computer screen is locked, and there's a message demanding payment to unlock our files.'"
3. Guide the Discussion
The facilitator asks questions to prompt discussion:
What would you do first?
Who needs to be notified?
What systems might be affected?
How would you communicate with clients?
4. Introduce Complications
To simulate the evolving nature of real crises, the facilitator adds new information or challenges:
"Your IT support person is on vacation."
"A client calls asking why they can't access their project files."
"A local news reporter has heard about the incident and is calling for comment."
5. Debrief and Document
After working through the scenario, discuss what went well and what didn't. Document gaps in your planning and assign action items to address them.
A Real-World Example
Let me share how this might look for a small marketing agency:
The scenario begins with the agency owner discovering that client data has been compromised through a phishing attack. As the exercise unfolds, the team realizes they don't have:
A clear process for notifying affected clients
A backup system that allows them to continue operations
A designated spokesperson for handling media inquiries
By identifying these gaps during the exercise, they can develop solutions before a real crisis occurs. They create email templates for client notifications, implement a more robust backup system, and designate and train a spokesperson.
Three months later, when they actually experience a minor security incident, they respond quickly and professionally—maintaining client trust and minimizing disruption.
Why Practice Makes Perfect
You wouldn't wait until opening night to rehearse a play. Similarly, you shouldn't wait until a crisis hits to figure out your response.
When we practice:
We build confidence in our ability to handle difficult situations
We identify and fix problems in our plans
We reduce panic and improve decision-making under pressure
We create clarity about who does what when it matters most
Most importantly, practice helps us protect what we've worked so hard to build.
How to Get Started with Tabletop Exercises
If you've never conducted a tabletop exercise, here are some simple ways to begin:
Start small. Choose one scenario that feels relevant to your business, like a ransomware attack or extended power outage.
Keep it simple. Your first exercise doesn't need to be elaborate. Even 30-60 minutes of thoughtful discussion can reveal important insights.
Focus on learning, not perfection. Create a blameless environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing ideas and concerns. (Look out for a coming blog post on the importance of a blameless culture in cybersecurity.)
Document what you learn. Take notes about gaps you identify and create an action plan to address them.
Schedule regular practice. Plan to conduct exercises quarterly or semi-annually to keep your response skills sharp.
Try a Mini Tabletop Experience
If you're curious about how a tabletop exercise might work for your business, I've created a simple way to get started. The CALM Lite Tabletop GPT is a ChatGPT bot that offers a mini experience. It walks you through a basic cybersecurity incident scenario using the Crisis Action Leadership Method™️ (CALM).
This interactive tool helps you practice your initial response to a cyber incident in a low-pressure environment. It's not a replacement for a full tabletop exercise, but it gives you a taste of the process and helps identify areas where you might need more preparation.
You can try it here: https://www.securitydoneeasy.com/tabletop
Final Thoughts
As women business owners, we're accustomed to planning, preparing, and protecting what matters. Tabletop exercises are simply an extension of that mindset—a practical tool that helps us lead with confidence, even in the most challenging circumstances.
Remember, the goal isn't to predict every possible crisis. It's to build the skills, clarity, and confidence to respond effectively to whatever comes your way. Because staying calm in a crisis doesn't happen by accident—it starts with a plan.
