Norman’s list of top (downside) risks

Everybody seems to be sharing their list of top risks with potentially significant negative effects on the organization.

Of course, every organization should determine what are its greatest sources of downside risk to the achievement of its own objectives, given its unique facts and circumstances.

Blindly following someone else’s list is a risk in itself.

But these lists are food for thought. Here is my list of 15 things to consider. (Of course there are more.) It’s nothing like the other lists I have seen!

In fact, I would suggest that they are usually not included in either the CRO’s or the CAE’s list of top risks.

These are not necessarily in order of their significance. That’s for each enterprise to decide.

• Cash and cash flow. Cash is king, but if you don’t have the liquidity to be agile, you will become a pauper.
• Selfish executives, very often including the CEO, who put their interests ahead of the team and the organization.
• A failure to innovate. (Such as with products and services, technology adoption, and so many more areas.)
• Poor quality product development, production, and management.
• Inattention to customers and their feedback.
• An unwillingness to take risks. It’s often more…