We’re getting towards the end of the year and, after a year like this, it’s understandable that we’re trying to wind down.
Unfortunately, risk management doesn’t work like that so your risk register is sitting there, waiting for some TLC. Those big, scary reds are still there and you know that there’s still a lot to do. There are also a few ambers that you’re concerned about but haven’t quite got around to yet.
However, given the year we’ve had, you and your organization are probably exhausted and it’s going to be hard to mount some big initiative right now.
So why not turn things around and look at the bottom of the register?
Turn things upsides down
There are probably a few risks there that need a little attention but don’t require a significant investment of time or resources. These are the lower ambers and high greens that often get ignored when all the attention is on the reds and high ambers. (If these colors don’t maker sense, take a look at this piece on metrics here.)
So why not take advantage of this otherwise unproductive period to take a run at a few of these? Draw up the risk manager’s equivalent of the honey-do list: that list of little chores you want to do around the house over the weekend. By themselves, none are particularly significant but in combination, they’re making you feel a bit scratchy.
So why not take the next week or two to sweat the small stuff and address a few of those lower ambers and higher greens. Give the bottom half of the risk register some TLC, make some progress in the doldrums of December and come back next year, rested, rejuvenated and ready to get to work on those bigger issues.
You might be wondering why there’s a picture of a lizard in sunglasses at the top of the post. Well, it turns out that some days the interwebs won’t cooperate and today, the images I wanted to use just wouldn’t work. Luckily, I did have a picture of Lizzy, my youngest’s best friend. Also, Lizzy is all about the details and she always sweats the small stuff.