Speaker 1: Helping leaders motivate their people to a higher level of
Speaker 1: performance through strong human relations, team building, and golajieving. This
Speaker 1: is the seven Minute Leadership Podcast with your host Paul Fellovledo.
Speaker 2: Hello everyone, and welcome to the seven Minute Leadership Podcast.
Speaker 2: It's episode two eighty two, and today we're talking about
Speaker 2: something every leader needs to take seriously, risk management. Preparing
Speaker 2: for the unknown in business, no matter what industry you're in,
Speaker 2: risks are everywhere. Some are predictable, some come out of nowhere,
Speaker 2: and others could have been avoided with the right planning.
Speaker 2: The best leaders don't wait for disaster to strike. They
Speaker 2: anticipate risks, prepare for them, and create strategies to minimize
Speaker 2: their impact. So let's start with a simple truth. Ignoring
Speaker 2: risk doesn't make it go away. It only makes you
Speaker 2: more vulnerable when something happens. Think about businesses that didn't
Speaker 2: prepare for supply chain disruptions, cyber attacks, or economic downturns.
Speaker 2: When the unexpected hit, some scramble to recover, while others,
Speaker 2: those with solid risk management plans, were able to navigate
Speaker 2: the storm and come out stronger. In the EMS world,
Speaker 2: in my world, we're constantly dealing with unpredictable events a
Speaker 2: sudden increase in nine to one one calls, vehicle breakdowns,
Speaker 2: or budget cuts can throw everything off balance. But when
Speaker 2: you've planned for these scenarios, they don't turn into a
Speaker 2: full blown crisis. And one of the biggest mistakes leaders
Speaker 2: make is assuming risk management is just about reacting. But
Speaker 2: the most effective approach is proactive risk management. And here's
Speaker 2: how you can start identifying risks before they hit. Look
Speaker 2: at past what issues have disrupted your business before, what
Speaker 2: trends are emerging in your industry, and engage your team.
Speaker 2: Your frontline employees often see risks before upper management does.
Speaker 2: Make it part of your culture to encourage them to
Speaker 2: speak up. In conduct scenario planning, ask yourself what's the
Speaker 2: worst thing that could happen, then build a plan for
Speaker 2: that scenario. A strong risk management plan has three key
Speaker 2: elements prevention, response, and recovery. So when we talk about prevention,
Speaker 2: what steps can you take to reduce the likelihood of
Speaker 2: a problem happening? For example, regular vehicle maintenance in like
Speaker 2: I said, EMS can prevent costly breakdowns at the worst time.
Speaker 2: In response, if something goes wrong, what's the immediate action plan?
Speaker 2: Who's responsible? For handling this situation In recovery, how do
Speaker 2: you minimize damage and get back to full operation as
Speaker 2: quickly as possible. Businesses fail because they often focus on response,
Speaker 2: ignoring prevention and recovery. You need all three to manage
Speaker 2: risk effectively. And when we talk about the role of
Speaker 2: leadership and risk management, leaders set the tone when it
Speaker 2: comes to risk. If you treat risk management as an afterthought,
Speaker 2: your team will too. But if you prioritize preparation and accountability,
Speaker 2: you create a culture where problems are identified and addressed early.
Speaker 2: In some practical steps that you can take today, conduct
Speaker 2: a risk assessment for your business. Identify the top three
Speaker 2: risks you face and start developing action plans and schedule
Speaker 2: regular check ins to discuss potential risks with your leadership team,
Speaker 2: and invest in training, whether it's emergency preparedness, cybersecurity awareness,
Speaker 2: or financial planning, to make your organization more resilient. So
Speaker 2: this is a big deal and every leader needs to
Speaker 2: take it seriously. Risk management isn't about living in fear
Speaker 2: of what could go wrong. It's about leading with confidence,
Speaker 2: knowing that you're prepared for whatever comes your way. Businesses
Speaker 2: that take risk management seriously don't just survive, they thrive
Speaker 2: because they're ready for the unexpected. So my challenge for you,
Speaker 2: what's one risk your organization is not prepared for. Write
Speaker 2: it down and then ask the same question to the
Speaker 2: rest of your team, Compare answers, and then take the
Speaker 2: first step today to build a plan and strengthen your
Speaker 2: leadership and your business for the unexpected. This has been
Speaker 2: the seven Minute Leadership Podcast and I thank you for listening.
Speaker 1: For more Paul Fell of Alito Podcasts, visit paulfellowalito dot com.