“I could NEVER do what you do” — Well, risk management says you can
It never fails, there I am talking to someone about my work in development and non-profit management and they say, “I could NEVER do what you do.”
There is an emphasis on the word never because it is usually delivered with an emotion — be it fear, utter disgust (which is also rooted in fear), respect, or just plain awe. I should know, given the 1,000+ times I’ve heard this statement over my 15-year career.
Depending on the person who shares their sentiments with me and how much time we have to chat, I will often go on to express that EVERYONE plays the role of a fundraiser at some point in their lives. Anyone passionate about any person, place, or thing has or will ask someone for something sometime. “You are already doing what I do, you just aren’t thinking of it that way,” is what I will say with a sly smile.
But over the years, I’ve also come to think of “what I do” as a means to an end. As in, if you want to make a change, and philanthropic dollars would help accomplish the goal, then you MUST ask.
I once asked a strong, female leader who I greatly respect and admire, how she came to address conflict head-on with such confidence and fearlessness. I am often reminded of her calm and collected response,
“Well, Melissa — it’s not that I am completely fearless in those situations. But, I am afraid of what would happen if I don’t address the conflict. What would that mean for the institution? What would that mean for the individuals directly or indirectly impacted by that conflict?”
Words to live by for reals y’all. Seriously — She. Is.Legit. What an authentic and vulnerable leader. I digress.
If we must face uncomfortabilities directly, there must be some resources out there to assist us! And here’s where the trusty Project Management Professional techniques save the day — specifically Risk Management. Identifying potential outcomes and assessing their likelihood is a process that I do on a near-constant basis, whether it’s in my mind or outlined on a formal document.
Just as a refresher, the general risk management steps include:
1) Identify the potential risks — What could go right or wrong?
2) Assess the risks— What’s the likelihood of outcomes occurring — do you really need to worry about that?
3) Risk Mitigation / Plan Risk Responses — Should the risks materialize, what will you do?
4) Monitor & Control Risk — Periodic review of the potential risks & likelihood — What might happen or has happened?
Check out how this risk management framework that I applied to a real-life (non-profit/development) example:
This is just one example where project management can help professionals, mitigate the risks that accompany high-stakes projects or situations they encounter. I also hope this provides an example that project management methodologies can be used outside of formal “projects” that may not have a PM, PMO, and all the other fancy acronyms.
That wraps up my, “how project management saves the day” lesson of the week.
Drop me a line if you want to share instances in your life when you’ve fought through uncomfortable situations and what tools did you use. How do risk assessments and scenario analysis tools show up in your life? I’m also curious to know when you might have said to someone, “I could NEVER do what you do.”
