The Risk Repatterning Initiative
founded by Teri Bybee
Increasing economic uncertainty and complexity in an ever more competitive landscape make a focus on risk, and becoming a risk-aware organization, essential to realizing big gains and to avoiding big losses.
Everyone must work together to understand individual differences -- not only between men and women but between all individuals -- to create profitable and productive workforces where risk is carefully managed at the right times to avoid catastrophic losses, and where strategic risks are fully embraced across your organization at the right times to realize huge gains.
Teri Bybee, The Risk & Reward
Mentor
The tragedy of the modern American workplace--the stunning lack of enthusiasm, creativity and morale combined with the increased burnout, stress and bullying--does not stem from a lack of leadership,
The entire American Framework for Success, up to and including the highest levels of power and influence (CEOs, executives, politicians, board members, writers who get published and producers whose movies get made), is built on rewarding those who are bold leaders and action takers brave enough to RISK a challenge to the status quo.
Success is ALL about that essential willingness TO TAKE A RISK and subsequently, to have those risks seen in such a manner that they are lauded (rather than viewed as folly) and for THAT perception to be fairly and equitably rewarded regardless of one’s sexuality or gender, race or religious creed.
This is a BASIC fairness requirement for being truly ABLE to advance to the top rungs of ANY social, economic, political or corporate ladder.
If we we dissuade our young girls and adult women from taking ACTION by either ignoring them when they do or calling them “bossy” or diminishing their self worth by, for instance, implying that they lack “femininity” when bold risks are taken, we will surely defeat our talented promising females before they even get started.
Is this really...a problem...in the modern workplace? Yes.
It is.
We know from solid research that women are more likely to be denied venture capital and less likely to have their innovative ideas given consideration BECAUSE financial or business choices they have made may be automatically and unfairly viewed as “irresponsible” or “reckless." Yet those exact same decisions when taken by similarly capable men, may be seen (and rewarded!) as evidence of being “daring” and “brave”.
If we continue to embrace, encourage and engage in dysfunctional risk patterns then we are destined to go on denying women chances, possibilities, promotions, recognition and dozens of other material and psychological benefits.
This hurts women and men, individuals and organizations.
We KNOW that biased behaviors and assumptions shrink rather than expand the playing field for women (and men, too!)
By indulging in them, companies may be mistakingly rewarding
- The wrong candidate
for a job or promotion
- The wrong ideas
into which they should invest
- Unhealthy and psychologically damaging patterns of language and action that may actually limit a company's revenue, growth, stock value, brand perception and both consumer & board confidence in the company
Even though most of these are simply wrongheaded patterns that we fall into without even meaning to!
Quite simply, if we do not repattern, rethink
and ultimately redesign
our beliefs, biases, actions
and inactions
around risk, responsibilities
and roles, companies will continue to sustain these unseen losses that put their results, their bottom line, and their hard-won reputation...in jeopardy
Dysfunctional risk patterns also cost an organization by
- Putting greater financial and psychological strain on human resources
- Decreased creativity and innovation due to unrealized human capital which results in poor decision making
- Unrealized gains due to a failure to embrace opportunities and seize risks at the right time
- Catastrophic losses due to foolish risks being taken at the wrong times
- Greater resentment toward employers harming overall morale and efficiency
- Lost productivity due to decreased cooperation and in creased workplace gossip or frustration
So what can we...do...about the Risk Bias Problem?
There are many productivity corporate leadership “solutions” on the market. But most tend to fail because they do not adequately IDENTIFY & CHALLENGE this pernicious framework that impairs achieving our goals by creating a suffocating double bind for women who are TOLD to LEAD then find they are punished both professionally and personally when...they do.
Too many approaches actually reinforce the dysfunction of RISK by missing its importance entirely or underestimating its critical function in containing opportunity. Some approaches make the critical error of assuming that simply by raising intellectual awareness of critical issues, a mere comprehension of a problem in the workplace will make the difference when, in truth, just KNOWING about a problem, too often fails to make even a dent in...changing it.
Why Women Who Risk is different?
WWR’s premise is to increase awareness and provide context for employers in the surety that employers are smart. They know their stuff and they know their company. So what the WWR kickoff form does is BEGIN the process by creating a context map from specific patterns that weigh particular factors playing out in a given workplace. This allows WWR to make an informed well reasoned judgment about the pressing issues to prioritize as well as determining which means of installing change will be the most efficient and effective for each organization they serve.
Instead of yet another inspiring lecture about Broad & Abstract principles designed to apply to many diverse organizations, your organization, itself, begins with it’s OWN dialogue around issues at play in your workplace. This method generates a fuller deeper lasting commitment to DO something to evolve the concept of Risk Bias in your unique company.
Instead of vague transformational leadership development training, Women Who Risk has created a sustainable, relational, practical, achievable and, most importantly, repeatable culture of quickly utilizing your own and your employees own power.
The weekly Forum in Five ensures that unresolved or emerging risk challenges are dealt with both collaboratively and quickly, and not from the top down, but by those individuals that those challenges actually impact...daily.
So...rather than offer pre-scripted “solutions” that attempt to FORCE compliance in your workplace, WWP challenges each woman and man to become part of the TEAM working on lasting meaningful change. And WWP gives them the skills power and permission to get on board and invest in the serious effort to redirect and re-pattern risk stereotypes and responsibilities within your organization
This is why we urge you to become a supporter and proud advocate for the Woman Who Risk project. Thriving organizations of the future will understand it’s essential objectives. Groups that stay stuck in old patterns, stubbornly refusing to repair broken thinking that sabotages their goals and revenue will NOT be the organizations companies and enterprises that thrive in the new age of innovation.
