Question Everything, Assume Nothing

The key to a successful Risk Management exercise conducted by RM4HD is agreement at the beginning of the process that nothing is taboo. We must be free to Question Everything and Assume Nothing.

The answers to the following list of examples are not as obvious as we may think nor can consensus be assumed (especially for values-based organisations operating in complex environments):

  • Why are we here? What would happen if we packed up and left tomorrow?
  • What is the problem we are seeking to address? How exactly?
  • Are our accomplishments measurable?
  • What happens if a staff member has a heart attack/car accident etc?
  • Do we shut down if a staff member is killed on the job? Under what circumstances?
  • Why would anyone want to interfere with our project?
  • Who has an interest in project success? Who has an interest in project failure? Why?
  • Is there ongoing armed conflict? Does our programming contribute to the conflict? Are we a party to it?
  • Are we perceived to be a contributor to the community’s problems or its solutions?
  • The list goes on and on ……

 

Testimonials

Mark from RM4HD was with our team for less than two weeks, but if we had the time I would have kept him there for a month. Save the Children is delivering a $42million, four year project in Uruzgan Province - one of the most troubled in Afghanistan - and we were seeking an experienced Risk Manager to advise our team on Project Risk Management in complex environments like Uruzgan. We were seeking advice on project delivery that did not compromise our values as a humanitarian organisation or undermine our implementation of an Acceptance Model for security management. Through Mark's iterative process of Context, Threat and Vulnerability analysis he facilitated a process which ensured the buy-in of key staff through their active participation in what he calls 'Problem Identification'. From there it was a simple process for him to create the prioritised measures that need to be put in place - 'solution identification'. The best thing about everyone being involved in the process, including the staff of partner organisations is that there is now a common reference point when discussing matters of staff safety or project risk and the budgetary/process/profile implications. Mark's years of experience as a Security Officer with humanitarian and development organisations in complex environments came to the fore in working with our staff.

Contact Us

If you have any questions or need more information, please contact us at info@rm4hd.com or fill in the form below: