Risk. A simple four-letter word that, like many four-letter words, creates a tidal wave of strong feelings.
In some people, excitement. In others, fear. And plenty in between.
So why the huge spectrum of different attitudes to risk today? Why do some see it as an opportunity to be grasped at all costs, whilst others want it quashed as soon as possible before it ‘scares the horses’? And, most importantly, who is right?
The past twenty years has seen the fall of seemingly untouchable business behemoths like Lehman Brothers and Enron. It’s seen the decline of established corporations like Borders and Blockbuster through their failure to innovate. And it’s seen the rise of giants like Facebook and Amazon that have blown us all away with their overwhelming influence and reach.
Uncertainty, along with death and taxes, it seems, are the only constant. As one of our contributors to our Whitepaper on Risk Intelligence, Andrew Pyke, Managing Director at Keyholder Pty Ltd, so succinctly puts it, “There’s no such thing as a deterministic strategy.”
Where risk used to be the subject of background (and often backroom) chatter by risk professionals alone, it’s now becoming a louder, more persistent priority throughout organisations. The idea of a ‘risk intelligent’ approach is starting to emerge.
Our Whitepaper delves deep into the relationship between today’s business world, its leaders and the role of risk. It looks at how risk is viewed today (the good, the bad and the, sometimes, ugly). It explores the real-life stories of how risk is being used to drive performance within organisations – to innovate, to be more agile and to shape the future. And it uncovers the rise of ‘risk-intelligent leaders’ and their impact on the businesses and teams they lead.
Finally, this whitepaper examines how we create a risk curious culture within organisations and what we need to do to change our relationship with risk for the better.
Explore more topics on our Whitepaper – Risk-Intelligence: How successful leader thrive in an uncertain world.
