Risky businessRisky business

How can SCC learn to be How can SCC learn to be more comfortable with risks?more comfortable with risks?

Can SCC learn to accept risks? 2

Risk can be a dirty word

• Risks are tricky to predict & evaluate– may be specific to one project– rarely remain static

• Work cultures can make risk taboo– Who owns up to failure? (‘blame culture’)– Need to “fail quickly” and learn from it

Can SCC learn to accept risks? 3

SUGGESTION: That the root of business capability is being better able to handle risks than others can.

• If so, then risk evaluation is a core skill for all businesses

• Risk-free projects bring little innovation

• There are huge risks in doing nothing…

Can SCC learn to accept risks? 4

Who learns from projects?

• Project risks are usually ‘owned’ by a temporary board (and at closure are handed on to departments)

• We ought to thoroughly review projects

• At which level does the learning occur -County, or at project level?

Can SCC learn to accept risks? 5

And the STP project?

• Whilst the scope was evolving, the project could not detail outcomes

• Risks owned by project board (with appropriate experience profile)

• Risks clearly understood and shared

• Valuable transfer of experiences

Can SCC learn to accept risks? 6

Making risks admissible

• Help staff to take well judged risks

• Recognise failures as valuable, too

• Clear reporting and support networks

• Accept that not all risks are foreseeable

• Encourage organisation-wide learning