by Rick Nason, PhD, CFA
Partner, RSD Solutions Inc.
Fast Company is the magazine that is known for companies that are at the edge of new. New developments, new products, new thinking, new markets, new people … well you get the idea.
I have been a long time subscriber to Fast Company. In fact I was at one of the early launch parties while attending a complexity conference a long time ago in Boston. I have seen many different faces, and many different ideas profiled on the cover of Fast Company. However I have never seen a Risk Officer or a risk management idea, or a company profiled for their risk management expertise. There may have been one and I missed it, but I doubt it.
This raises a serious issue. I believe that risk management should be a “fast discipline”. Risk management should involve lots of creativity, original ideas, and out of the box thinking. If so, then why is there not more risk managers profiled in this popular business magazine?
I believe the answer to the question is that risk management has forgotten how to take risks. That’s right, I believe that risk management as a discipline has forgotten how to take risks by having new ideas, and bold original plans. As a profession we like to stick with the tried and true – with our innovations simply being pushing the envelope just a little bit.
Risk management can be a strategic advantage. The raid that “got” Bin Laden was accomplished through strategic risk thinking. Getting a man on the moon was achieved through strategic risk thinking. Winning a formula one race is achieved through strategic risk thinking.
To do anything great, bold, daring and worthwhile almost always involves strategic risk thinking. It is time for risk management as a profession to take off its scaredy pants and get its face on the cover of Fast Company. It’s time for risk management to become a “fast discipline”!
No comments:
Post a Comment