Every day I gain further insight into the role of risk management through working through what makes me passionate and motivated to perform in my role.

For me, what I have found is that the power of effective communication is a key to effective and valued risk management. Communication doesn’t just mean hearing your own voice, on the contrary it actually means hearing the voices of others. I recently heard the saying “we have two ears and one mouth” representing the proportion of listening to talking. Perhaps the real truth is that it is four ears and one mouth!

The true power of effectiveness is through the diversity of thought and ideas. The more we listen to others, embrace differences, the more effective we become as risk managers.

We play the critical role of enabling, the word of the month for me, the conversations that create the an effective risk management approach. Risk managers are not the be all expert, in actual fact no one is, every single person can provide value to a discussion. We just all have to find the way to encourage and harness the power in many voices, not just one voice.

For me, these are important things to think about and do. I know I may sound like I am preaching on top of a soap box, and perhaps I am, but I am realizing I am doing this for me. For me to hear to my own words, to stop and listen, and to ensure I follow the four ears – one mouth philosophy.