Is the world becoming a riskier place? Google it, and here’s what may pop up:
The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it.
Albert Einstein
Doing nothing is not an option in risk management. This is true for all of us, not just theoretical physicists like Einstein. His statement is referencing evil people, not unfortunate (or evil) events, yet it points out that DOING SOMETHING is the genius move. It means you are aware and trying. That is the motivation behind this blog – to help you become aware of the risks you may face and DO SOMETHING to better manage the challenges.
Being aware is essential. What you don’t know can hurt you – considerably. Awareness is all the rage, but we are talking about something more than self-awareness. In teaching enterprise risk management, the three broad categories of risk are financial, operational and business. In the Corporation of You, those risks exist as well. The goal: Resilience. Bouncing back from adversity is smoothed when plans were made in advance for the journey.
The world feels riskier because our lives feel more complex, and our lives feel more complex because they are! We must learn to deal with uncertainty and resist the dream that Fate will always be kind. Many times, it is. Yet, there are countless active actions to take to control Fate by being the designated driver on your Risky Road.
As an instructor in insurance and risk management, I have the privilege of teaching college students who are interested in understanding and pursuing careers in the insurance and finance fields. I tell my students that I cannot promise to make them enjoy paying insurance premiums over the course of their lives, but I can promise them an understanding of the concept of risk transfer and mitigation. Costly, unexpected “evils” are not going to be overly burdensome to you, if you get the financial protection you need and plan for risk defense. Helping people become confident insurance consumers and own their personal risk management is rather a passion of mine. You cannot be confident if you do not look your risks in the face and declare, “You’re not the boss of me!”
What could possibly go wrong? Go ahead. Ask yourself the question, then write down the answers. This is an exercise in shrewdness, not doomsday planning. It is a practical, proactive step to being prepared to prevail. PREPARE TO PREVAIL. That is the core of risk management.