Question
during a Project Management workshop:
“Will this course make me less
risk-averse?”
Answer: “It could. The workshop doesn’t make risk go
away – It gives you tools to manage it.”
Well,
the workshop didn’t work.
Same person, two
days later:
“Thank you very much for this course. Now
I know I never want to get anywhere near Project Management.”
That risk-averse person was unusual
only in his candor. Most of us avoid risk, and even walk around or away from
the possibility of facing it. Why endure pain if you can escape it?
The very mention
of risk often is enough to kill an idea or initiative:
“That’s pretty
risky, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. I guess
so. Let’s just forget it.”
No, don’t forget
it. Evaluate it. What is the likely payoff if it works? How does that match up vs.
the potential damage if it doesn’t? And what’s the opportunity cost of not trying?
