Edith Bunker

*/By Rick Nason, PhD, CFA
Partner, RSD Solutions Inc./*

Jean Stapleton passed away this week.  For those of us from a certain era
she was a staple in our households as she made us laugh at the foolishness of
Archie's bull-headed attitudes.  Ms. Stapleton of course was best known as
Edith Bunker, the long suffering, but loving wife of Archie Bunker on the hit
1970's sitcom All in the Family.

As Edith, she played a slightly old school 60's housewife who kept and
managed the house for the working husband all within the context of the more
liberal 1970's.  In most situations she would cede control to Archie, no
matter how silly his ideas were.  In that sense she was very loyal. 
However, Edith also had a strong moral sense.  Although portrayed as a
simple subservient housewife, she was a character that had a strong sense of
right and wrong.  When push came to shove she would always step up to the
plate for right.  That is just one of the many reasons that audiences loved
Edith.  (It sure wasn't her singing on the opening credits.)

In risk management, managers too often tend to be subservient to the risk
management department, or to the regulators, or perhaps even more frequently
to their superior bosses.  Most of the time this is fine, and indeed it is
proper.  However, just like Edith, managers should develop a strong sense of
what is right or wrong when it comes to risk management, and they should not
be afraid to "pull an Edith" and step up to the plate for right.