Changing the Game
I play in the space of risk management. When I say play, I mean it ... but not just because it's fun. For me this is a profession where common sense and structure (left brain) and creativity and rhythm (right brain) come to play. I know that is not how its perceived sometimes, but hey, that is a window into how I see it from where I sit.
Allow me to mix my brain and game metaphors for a bit.
When I work with a client. The game is already started. My clients are always already on the field, catching the ball, passing to their team mates, heading for the goal. Most of the time, I already know their business' rule book and a fair inkling about how their referees will be scoring the game. But I don't know their game plan or their players.
When I first get to understand what is the client's game plan, I start with the official one. I find the stuff that is written down. The (big S) Strategy, the Risk Appetite Statement, the Risk Management Framework (policies, procedures), their organisational structure. If they have set one, I also try to look at what the is goal of their risk maturity strategy (but sometimes that is why I am there).
Then I try to understand where they are in their game. I read their Management and Risk Reports, try to understand their strategic project portfolio, and open significant issues or audits. What is their Board asking for? What is the current state of play.
This is all the left brain stuff. The facts. The things that have structure or need more structure.
Risk Application
In risk terms, this is important. Because if you cannot navigate the structure, the point of risk management is lost. The point of risk management is to drive better outcomes for the business. Drive business action. If the only action the risk management framework is driving is how to navigate the risk management framework, then the game plan is wrong. Your team will be on the field running around but waiting for someone else to make the pass, take the shot. No-one is winning the game like this. No-one is learning anything about the game like this. In this state, we are just running around waiting for the final whistle. Our players are just going through the motions.
So to the players. This is where I think about the motivations of the players. And whether they are aligned with the game plan. Are they aligned enough to play this one game? And if the transformation required is bigger, are they aligned with the game plan to stay the course for the full season. Are their hearts in it? Can they find the creativity to create the vision, the space to create the rhythm of change. The right brain stuff, for their people are the heartbeat of their risk management framework. Without them, it is just words on a page.
I was talking to my friend Jane Peacock about this concept recently. I had just listened to a podcast on emotionally intelligent leadership with Tim Connelly, GM of an NBA team. In it, Tim talked to how he loved data and facts, but that the most important part to creating a good team is to understand the players and their motivations. What were their backgrounds, their goals for the season, their career. Tapping into that, he was able to get comfortable that the motivations of the player and the team were aligned. When that was evident, the team culture was strong and long term goals could be achieved. They might not win every game, but they rebounded as a team and got stronger together.
Conclusion
In advising on risk maturity, there is a feedback loop all the time. If the game plan is not there or is messy, how do we get it back on track? What right brain things do we need to do? If the team are not aligned, how do we create the buy-in? What environment do we need to create to engage the left brain. Sometimes this means the game plan shifts.
In all events, we are influencing the game and the players. We take small steps with them so that the play doesn't stop. It is about getting better outcomes. This is about action. This is risk management. This is risk culture. This is changing the game.
“It is not enough to change the players. We gotta change the game.”