Is your risk focus biased?

*/By Stephen McPhie
Partner, RSD Solutions Inc./*

Thinking way back a few years, I recall flying from London to Toronto a week
after 9/11, the first day flights resumed.  From a purely airport experience
it was the easiest journey through London's Heathrow airport I have ever
had.  Both Heathrow and Toronto airports were almost deserted.  Those
waiting for my flight to board were looking suspiciously and a little
nervously at the other passengers.  One man with a beard and obviously
Muslim was the subject, unreasonably, of most looks.

The 9/11 atrocity was clearly the foremost concern on most people's minds.
 Few, I suspect, were concerned about the possibility of structural failure
of the plane or by far the most likely cause of disaster, human error.  I am
sure that even fewer, if anyone, had given a thought to what was the greatest
risk to their lives by a magnitude, which was the drive to the airport. 

People were so focused on one risk that they were almost completely blinded
to the existence of other greater risks that were far more likely to
happen. 

I fly often and don't see it any differently than taking a bus (apart from
the time spent getting to airports and in lines at airports).  The only
slight concern I have is human error – principally by the pilot or
maintenance personnel – which I believe is by far the greatest cause of
plane crashes.  Terrorism is horrendous and tragic and gets the biggest
headlines.  Consequently, it is hard not to be acutely focused on it. 
However, it is very uncommon and kills relatively few people (no consolation
I know for those affected by it).

Is your organization so focused on one or more headline risks that other
factors of greater likelihood and effect are being paid scant attention?  Do
you constantly re-evaluate and question your risks?