In the early morning nautical twilight on a cold winter morning,
thoughts about how the world is changing comes into clarity. What do
you believe in?
As the asymmetric threats seem to grow
and our respective thoughts scan a vast Operational Risk landscape of
people, processes, systems and external events; there is a mission worth
pursuing. It is a mission that is uncertain, full of unexpected change
and potential catastrophes.
The outcomes that you seek
will not always materialize as you wish, yet that is to be expected.
After all, what would an organization, state, region or country be like,
without any substantial changes, unexpected events or new challenges?
You see, humans do not thrive in environments where behavior or events
are 100% predictive.
We work best when there is a
problem to solve, an environment or challenge that we can explore. We
can conquer or adapt to, in order to survive another day. It is this
ability to explore, to test, to solve problems that sets us apart from
the current state of "Artificial Intelligence", for now.
Now,
pivot your thoughts to the current ecosystem of people you encounter on
a daily basis. How does that environment change each day? What
mechanisms do you have in place to mitigate the risks that could create
negative consequences and outcomes? Think about all of the behaviors,
tools and ways that you operate each day to deal with risks in your
life.
The truth is, humans are curious and seek out
risk. Even if you get to a place where there is a perception that no
risks are present, that no risks are over the horizon, we will look for
new adventure, new learning and ways to adapt to a new environment. So
what really is the top priority for a parent, big brother/sister,
manager, instructor, chief executive, commander or other
organizational/constituent leader?
To create an
environment of trust. In a place where people have the ability to
create the rules, teach the rules and operate within the rules. Think
about any environment where humans can't create the rules, or rely on
the rules. Where they are not effectively communicated or where people
don't follow the rules. Trust breaks down and uncertainty permeates our
consciousness. The decisions to trust become questionable.
Your goal, is to become a "Linchpin".
As Seth Godin has described in Linchpin: Are you Indispensable?:
"Is
there anyone in an organization who is absolutely irreplaceable?
Probably not. But the most essential people are so difficult to
replace, so risky to lose, and so valuable that they might as well be
irreplaceable."
How many linchpins do you have on your team? Guess what? If everyone
is so specialized, so vital and there is little or no backup and redundancy, you may
have a single point of failure. This is why as a linchpin, you need to
be continuously training and teaching to be replaceable. If you are not confident
that you have done all you can do, to become replaced, then you as a
linchpin have failed. Your resilience factor is zero.
Your
tasks will create more redundant linchpins and you shall create a
consistent and highly trusted environment, physical or virtual. A
changing environment is inevitable. Achieve a culture where trust is
paramount and the team, class, cohort, company and community that
creates the rules, communicates the rules, enforces the rules and
follows the rules.
We as curious humans seek out
unpredictable places, full of risk and simultaneously we wish the
environment can be trusted? Yes we do.
Onward!
