How to build a better world one (risk) decision at a time?

With the pressures created by the current economy it is not unusual to find people are becoming more concerned about safety and seeking ways to return to stability. When this applies to individuals, this behaviour closely matches 'survival' behaviour. Where it applies to collectives -be that communities, organisations, nations etc - we start observing behaviours such as group-think, territorialism, nimby-ism, terrorism and more worryingly, the search for stronger leaders who are believed for their promise to return the collective to 'safety' and 'stability'.
 
Safety and stability are myths, which even strong leadership cannot help bring to life. Why? Because the 'laws of nature' dictate that risk is the norm and continuous change (AKA evolution) is positive. These are the simple, but for a lot of people, counter-intuitive principles which will help rebalance decisions for better (more peaceful) outcomes.
 
All this is based on a false belief that risk is the polar opposite to safety, and that only safety can avoid blame (see 'False' Risk Continuum below). Nothing could be further from the truth! Evidence shows that (command-and-) control behaviours actually attract more extreme 'survival' behaviour in others - be that flight or flight - leaving the collective more open to extreme behaviours and scenarios as described above. 

 

 

In order to win, we need to complete the continuum with the polar opposite to control. So here is what the full risk continuum looks like: 

 

The polar opposite of control is neglect. Without adding the consideration of neglect to our decision-making processes, risk will continue to be seen as needing to be avoided instead of embraced as that what helps us survive, grow and evolve. 

 

The trick is not to control but to find balance, build resilience to change, letting go of control and learning with the flow as set by the 'laws of nature'!

 

 

 



Idea of the Day ... on Changing Behaviour through Design

In Belgium and the Netherlands they have put large butterfly nets along the cycle paths to encourage people to throw their litter in the right place rather than littering just anywhere. This design is based on a technique called 'Nudge' which uses people's nature/instinctive behaviours as the starting point of any design.

 
Nudge Theory too is used to design care homes for people with Dementia, in highways design and putting low-cost gym equipment in parks.

How else could we use 'nudge' for the benefit of the wider community?

Safeguarding adults - finding the right risk balance

When we awaken to meet each day, we face a variety of health and safety risks
in our lives. Life is inherently full of risks, but this does not keep us from
‘taking on the day’ or even unnecessarily limiting our activities.

When working with people with dementia or other people whose life
circumstances make them more vulnerable to abuse, we assess risks and
sometimes forget that risks have benefits, such as encouraging independence,
building self-esteem, etc.

 

Observing vulnerability brings out in us a want to care and protect. Rightly so!
However when being a witness to abuse - whether in a professional role or as
an unpaid carer - our brain kicks into 'survival mode' (fight-flight-freeze) as strong
emotions often accompany our interactions with those people more vulnerable
than ourselves. These feelings may include:

• Anger (fight)
• Withdrawal (flight)
• Resignation (freeze)
• Denial (freeze)

It is not possible to switch off our 'survival mode'. As human beings our brains are
wired toprotect us from threats in our immediate environments. We have a
'natural' distrust that has kept us safe throughout history. What is important
however is to become more familiar with and acknowledge our own 'survival
mode' reactions when working inemotionally challenging circumstances. This will
not only help protect the people in our care, but also you, as the person in a
supportive role.

 

Why is it important?

 

'We (that is, every single one of us) assess risk using emotion and not logic. We
use our emotion first and then logic second to argue against, or reaffirm the
conclusion we’ve already come to from an emotional perspective.' (Source -
'Why risk assessment misses the point')

Strong emotions and the  'survival mode' reactions have a negative impact on

managing risk.

 

The ambition of protective behaviours and risk assessments is to return to
'conditions of safety'. The difficulty arises from the fact that in the world there
is no such thing as 'total safety'. 'Total safety' can only exist in an environment of
'total control' (metaphors - 'the padded room', 'the straight jacket' or 'wrapped in
cotton wool'). Life is full of risks, and even more complicated is that taking risks
provides benefits.

 

Examples:

- When leaving the house you could get run over by a bus, but the activity
means visiting friends and family.

- When doing a parachute jump your chute may not open, but the activity can gives
you an amazing buzz and confidence.

- When cooking a meal you may burn yourself on the hob, but the activity means 
cooking a heart-warming meal for your spouse. 

‘With respect to ourselves and our own life, we often see risks as choices.' (Source -
Carson & Bain 2008)

So how than can we find the right balance?

In order to create a more balanced risk assessment, we have to take time to
acknowledge and reflect on our 'survival mode' and its potential impact on how
risk is managed.

 

We have to find the middle ground between being overprotective and being
underprotective. I have for some years been working on a simple Risk
Continuum (see image below) which can help people reflect on their 'survival
mode', become more self-aware (AKA emotionally intelligent) and finding the
right risk balance.
 

Over the following weeks I will be building onto this simple continuum, which starts
fromhow our brains are wired, and how it links to organisational behaviour,
culture and leadership styles.

 

SOURCES:

* 'Why risk assessment misses the point' - http://www.jomc.co.uk/blog/why-risk-

assessment-misses-the-point/)

Carson & Bain (2008) Professional Risk and Working with People

RELEVANT BLOGS:

'Building a Learning Culture' - http://mythoughtcanvas.blogspot.co.uk/search?updated-min=2011-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&updated-max=2012-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=1

'7 Ways to ReWire Your Brain and Become a Better Leader -
http://seapointcenter.com/rewire-your-brain-for-leadership/

'What fear calls risk is actually opportunity' -
http://www.soulseeds.com/grapevine/2012/07/what-fear-calls-risk-is-actually-opportunity/