How do we start to manage our risks?It’s an often heard question when talking to organizations about risk management. The honest answer to that is that most organizations already manage risk. It’s often just not called risk management. Risk management by any other nameLet’s look at a number of examples of risk management which are … Continue reading You are already managing risks
Visiting the home of the maker of Toys
First time visitorEven as a hardcore Apple fan, I had never visited a true Apple retail store before. But did I make up for that!The maker of toysMerlin Mann, in his excellent tribute to Steve Jobs on the 5by5.tv special referred to him as the maker of toys. Visiting Apple’s London Regent Street retail store … Continue reading Visiting the home of the maker of Toys
Witnessing the Occupy movement in London
An accidental witnessWhen you're staying as close to St. Paul's Cathedral as we are, it's impossible to not see the 'occupation' of the square in front op the Cathedral's main entrance. When we went out looking for a taxi last night, we passed through a veritable crowd of people. I've posted a picture below. The … Continue reading Witnessing the Occupy movement in London
Sense and nonsense of risk maturity assessments
Can you “manage” maturity?Maturity assessments are the new fad of management. You encounter them everywhere. Also, and perhaps most often, in risk management. Risk management and internal control systems need to be assessed and benchmarked and turned upside down and inside out. These tendencies appear to be indicative of an overly strong desire for micro … Continue reading Sense and nonsense of risk maturity assessments
When tools distract from purpose
Looking for a purpose is probably the worst way to find itThe more I look at the way I have been active in the past years, the more I am starting to understand you cannot discover your purpose in life by looking for it. On the contrary, the act of looking for your purpose will … Continue reading When tools distract from purpose
Improving organizational leanness
Lean is not a natural state for most organizationsFew organizations can truely be defined as lean. They have no real incentive to be. Most organizations, when left to their own devices, tend to grow and focus on justifying their own existence. Any organizational structure, whether public or private, if left unchecked, will try to increase … Continue reading Improving organizational leanness
Improving risk management through ubiquitous capture
Monday morning quarterbackingAfter things have gone wrong, we have a tendency to start Monday morning quarterbacking. “How is it possible that they didn’t see that one coming?” Quickly, the comments turn to lack of organization and lack of information exchange. Remember 9/11? Different assessments all pointed to the same conclusion: the information was available, but … Continue reading Improving risk management through ubiquitous capture
Be Your Own Brand (BYOB)
My first encounter with BYOBIn 1988 I went to the US for the first time, on an AFS exchange program. The confrontation with a new culture, so similar yet so different from what I was used to in Europe was eye-opening. For example, we weren’t that used to using abbreviations, such as BYOB (Bring Your … Continue reading Be Your Own Brand (BYOB)
The impact of simplification on residual risk
Red tape increases risksRed tape is likely to lead to increases in residual risk profiles of organizations. These organizations are overburdening their external and internal customers with these increases in rules and regulations they need to comply with. Contrary to their expectations, this will not lead to more care. The more rules exist, the more … Continue reading The impact of simplification on residual risk
Exploring The Black Box 