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Leverage Risk for a Calculated Outcome

Okay, we know we have to take risks with every decision, but we don’t just throw ourselves to the fates, do we? Of course not. We have to calculate the risk for each potential decision and weigh the potential outcomes.

Remember that pros and cons exercise? It can help you identify which decision will provide the likeliest positive outcome. Remember those recommendations from others? They can help you weigh the decision possibilities so that you can try to achieve the best possible outcome.

That’s the task. Calculating the likely outcomes of each decision to determine which decision option will result in the best outcome—for your organization, for your people, and for you.

But sometimes the greater outcomes also require taking the higher risks. You could, perhaps, take a lesser risk, but you’ll also achieve a lesser outcome. You have to weigh the options and determine how much risk is acceptable for the measured outcome you are likely to get from each option.