Leadership Strategies for Keeping Teams Response-Ready

By TJ Grim, Ready 2 Respond Trainer

Training is a critical foundation for effective water response, as it equips facilities teams with the technical know-how and shared processes needed to handle incidents quickly and effectively. But many organizations discover that the gap between being trained and being truly ready often appears months later – when procedures aren’t reinforced, documentation slips, or newer staff haven’t yet built up the same level of confidence.

While training establishes the baseline, sustaining readiness is largely a leadership function. Expectations, visibility, and everyday habits shape how consistently teams apply what they’ve learned. By implementing some key practices throughout the year, leaders can help maintain response confidence and capability long after the classroom portion of training is complete.

Build Readiness in Everyday Work

One of the most effective ways to keep skills fresh is to integrate a preparedness mindset into routine operations. When readiness is treated as a standalone initiative, it can easily fall behind other priorities. But when it is embedded into everyday workflows, it becomes part of how teams operate – boosting both technical skills and the decision-making confidence teams rely on under pressure.

Facilities leaders can help by taking simple, practical actions such as:

Incorporate equipment checks into preventive maintenance routines
Review response roles during regular team meetings
Walk through “what if” mock scenarios tied to real facility risks, including estimating equipment needs and response steps
Thoroughly review response procedures with new staff
Debrief recent incidents and near misses to reinforce lessons learned
Ensure quick-reference guides and response contact lists remain up to date

These small touchpoints keep processes familiar, so they feel second nature during an emergency.

Reinforce the Behaviors That Sustain Skills

Over time, readiness gaps do not typically appear in the hands-on response work itself, such as setting up equipment or managing the drying process. Instead, they tend to emerge in the supporting tasks that keep response efforts running smoothly – documentation, cross-departmental communication, and consistent process implementation. These behaviors may seem routine, but they play a crucial role in maintaining accountability and confidence. For example, when communication and documentation are consistent, teams can track progress more clearly and coordinate smoothly during longer drying projects.

Leaders can help keep these behaviors consistent by:

Treating documentation as a standard part of the response, not an afterthought
Using simple checklists to keep steps visible and repeatable
Conducting occasional spot checks of work orders and moisture logs
Recognizing teams when processes are followed effectively

When leaders consistently reinforce these expectations, teams are more likely to follow them – strengthening consistency and keeping skills sharp over time.

Use Short Refreshers and Real-World Learning

Skills don’t need to be revisited all at once to remain effective. In fact, short, targeted refreshers can effectively reinforce key concepts without taking teams away from their daily responsibilities. Many organizations incorporate quick reviews into toolbox talks or monthly meetings, focusing on one topic at a time – such as equipment setup, safety considerations, maintenance checks, or documentation guidelines.

Real incidents also provide valuable opportunities for learning. Even brief after-action conversations help teams capture what worked well, identify areas for improvement, and strengthen procedures while the incident is still fresh. Over time, these discussions turn day-to-day response experience into institutional knowledge that benefits the entire team.

Prioritize Visible Leadership with Ongoing Training

Keeping response skills sharp is rarely about a single tactic. Organizations that sustain readiness over time tend to combine short refreshers, visible leadership support, and ongoing training to build a culture of preparedness.

Equally important, the way leaders talk about and prioritize readiness shapes how consistently these practices are carried out across the organization. When preparedness is discussed during walkthroughs, referenced in planning conversations, or highlighted in team communications, it signals that it is an ongoing priority and part of the organizational culture, rather than a one-time initiative.

At the same time, reinforcement works best alongside a formal training initiative. Facilities teams naturally evolve as staff retire, move into new roles, or join the organization, and hands-on orientation training for new team members ensures a consistent baseline of knowledge.

A balanced approach that includes both training and day-to-day reinforcement enables organizations to:

Maintain consistency despite staffing changes
Transfer institutional knowledge more effectively
Keep experienced staff confident in their approach
Ensure that response processes remain aligned across teams

Taken together, these practices create a sustainable model for long-term readiness.

Contact the R2R team for assistance in developing a water response plan, customized team training program, and equipment kitting solutions. For facility management tips, follow us on LinkedIn and subscribe to our Facility Insights newsletter.