How many people do you know who are true daredevils? One of those people who deliberately take real risks?
Chances are that you don’t know many, or even any adults who happily take real risks. Risk takers are rare.
Despite all the hype about heroic entrepreneurs, conscious risk taking is no more common in working life than it is outside work. Likely even less.
Risk aversion is by far the most common behavior and leaders play an important part here.
It doesn’t take much to suppress risk taking, but it takes a lot of work to sustain even a mild appetite for risk.
To decide to try something that might fail is really difficult for most people, unless they feel really secure that mistakes won’t be fatal to their reputation or their future.
Even then, humans weigh potential risks far more heavily than gains, so there needs to be a strong upside.
The problem here is that complex problems almost always require experimentation to solve. Trial and error.
Without errors no great gains could ever have been made.
“It takes a lot of work to sustain even a mild appetite for risk..”
How mistakes are dealt with in your meetings will help determine whether your people take risks or not.
Humans are very good at sensing danger – and assessing if something is safe or not is a subconscious, even primeval sense.
This is not just when walking in the jungle, but in social groups as well.
You have to work very hard to fool people that you’re encouraging them if you’re not convinced yourself.
Leaders who suppress risk taking will likely show that to their team through subtle body language and gestures, not just language.
Leaders therefore have to reflect deeply on their own feelings if they want to encourage teams to adopt trial and error.
Do you talk about failures? If you do, is it in a way that normalizes it, rather than demonizing or humiliating?
Do team members bring regular, small wins to meetings or do you only focus on problems?
Do you celebrate successes? Is there an upside to achievement that can make the risks worthwhile?
Do you talk about risks regularly and frankly? Do you put the elephant in the room out on the table, or do you emotionalize it and so keep it unspoken?
Are new or risky ideas welcomed?
Appreciate those who show willingness to take small risks, theirs is uncommon valor.
Image credit wavesandwind.com