New Year, New Loggists: Why Now Is the Perfect Time to Build Your Log‑Keeping Capability
The start of a new year always brings a sense of renewal — a chance to reset, refocus, and strengthen the foundations that support organisational resilience. For many organisations, January is the ideal moment to review crisis management arrangements and ensure that teams are fully prepared for whatever the year may bring. One of the most effective — yet often overlooked — ways to enhance crisis readiness is by investing in skilled loggists.
Loggists (or log‑keepers) play a critical role in any incident response structure. They capture decisions, actions, rationales, and key information in real time, creating an auditable record that supports situational awareness, legal defensibility, and post‑incident learning. Yet despite their importance, many organisations rely on ad‑hoc volunteers or assume that anyone can “just take notes”. The reality is very different: good log‑keeping is a specialist skill, and the new year is the perfect time to identify, train, and empower the right people for the role.
🎯 Why the New Year Is the Best Time to Refresh Your Log‑Keeping Capability
January naturally prompts organisations to review their preparedness. Budgets are renewed, training calendars are being set, and teams return from the holiday period with fresh energy. This makes it an ideal moment to:
- Reassess crisis management roles and responsibilities
- Identify capability gaps
- Build confidence across response teams
- Embed new habits and processes before the year gets busy
👥 Who Makes a Good Loggist? Identifying the Right People
Not everyone is naturally suited to log‑keeping — and that’s a good thing. The role requires a specific blend of personal attributes, cognitive strengths, and behavioural traits. When identifying potential loggists, look for individuals who demonstrate:
- Calmness Under Pressure
Loggists work at the heart of the response environment. They must be able to stay composed, even when the room is tense or decisions are being made rapidly. - Strong Listening Skills
A good loggist listens actively, filters out noise, and captures the essence of what is being said — not just the words themselves. - Attention to Detail
Accuracy matters. A loggist must record information clearly, consistently, and in a way that can be understood hours, days, or even months later. - Ability to Prioritise Information
Not everything needs to be written down. Skilled loggists know what is relevant, what is legally significant, and what supports situational awareness. - Discretion and Professionalism
Loggists are privy to sensitive information. Trustworthiness is essential. - Confidence to Clarify
If something is unclear, a good loggist is willing to ask for repetition or clarification — even in a room full of senior leaders.
Potential candidates often come from roles such as administration, project support, compliance, governance, customer service, or operational management. However, some of the best loggists are people who simply have the right temperament and a natural instinct for order and clarity.
📚Training Your Loggists: Setting Them Up for Success
Once you’ve identified your potential log‑keepers, the next step is to ensure they receive structured, practical training. Effective loggist training should cover:
Foundations of Incident Response
Understanding the wider crisis management framework helps loggists appreciate how their work supports decision‑making and organisational resilience.
Principles of Good Log‑Keeping
This includes accuracy, objectivity, clarity, and the importance of capturing rationale as well as decisions.
Hands‑On Practice
The most valuable training involves realistic scenarios where loggists can practise capturing information under time pressure.
Use of Logging Tools
Loggists need to be confident and fluent in the system.
Legal and Audit Considerations
A well‑kept log can be a powerful asset in demonstrating due diligence. Training should highlight what makes a log legally robust.
Feedback and Continuous Improvement
Loggists benefit from constructive feedback, reflection, and opportunities to refine their technique.
By investing in training early in the year, organisations ensure that loggists are confident, capable, and ready to support the response team long before the first incident of the year occurs.
🚀 Start the Year Strong
“New Year, New Loggists” isn’t just a catchy phrase — it’s a strategic opportunity. By identifying the right people and equipping them with the skills they need, organisations strengthen their crisis management capability and build resilience that lasts all year.