Taking Smart Risks: How Sharp Leaders Win When Stakes are High

Taking Smart Risks: How Sharp Leaders Win When Stakes are High
Author: Doug Sundheim
Publisher: McGraw Hill Professional
Total Pages: 273
Release: 2013-01-04
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0071778209

In today’s market, playing it safe is not an option Lead your company to sustainable success by taking the RIGHT RISKS The business world is in flux, and you have to think and act quickly in order to stay competitive. But the last thing you want to do is make reckless business decisions. You have to find the middle ground. You have to take SMART RISKS. In this groundbreaking book, leadership expert Doug Sundheim explains how to find that precise point between comfort and danger for generating the sustained ability to work at the highest level of performance. Taking Smart Risks reveals the secrets to discovering, planning for, and acting upon the kind of risks that will move your company forward and ahead of the competition. Learn how to: Find Something Worth Fighting For—What do you care enough about to risk time, energy, and money to try to make happen? Determining this is half the battle. See the Future Now—Clarify your big idea in terms of real objectives, plans, and intended results. Act Fast, Learn Fast—Make your move quickly, but be sure you don’t squander valuable resources in the process. Communicate Powerfully—Assume communication will break down at points, plan accordingly—and don’t shy away from the tough conversations. Create a Smart Risk Culture— Build teams that share the same mindsets and values about expected smart risk behavior. Applying Sundheim’s advice will help you let go of old assumptions, explore new possibilities, move your organization out of its comfort zone, and experience long-term success. When you take smart risks, you will create. You will innovate. You will grow. And you will WIN. “From Sherwin Williams to Moo.com, Doug Sundheim is onto something here: your work is worth fighting for. A worthy read for everyone in your organization.” —Seth Godin, Author, The Icarus Deception “The risk-taking concepts in this book lie at the heart of effective leadership. Using case studies and stories from executives who have ‘been there, done that,’ Doug Sundheim teaches us that sometimes the most dangerous thing to do—in business and life—is to play it safe.” —Marshall Goldsmith, million-selling author of the New York Times bestsellers MOJO and What Got You Here Won’t Get You There “Sundheim delivers a message that every business needs to hear right now: excessive risk will kill you, but so will complacency. . . . If you’re charged with driving growth in your organization, buy this book—but more importantly, use it.” —Jed Hartman, Group Publisher, Fortune & CNNMoney.com “A spectacular book! The stories were powerful, the advice was crystal clear, and every few pages called me to action. I have bookmarked more pages in Taking Smart Risks than I have in any book since reading Peter Drucker’s classics.” —Michael Hejtmanek, President & CEO, Hasselblad Bron Inc. “Doug Sundheim does an excellent job of demonstrating not only how to take smart risks, but also how to lead the process of risk-taking—a critical skill set for leaders today.” —Cindy Zollinger, President & CEO, Cornerstone Research “A compelling case for why smart risk taking is so important in today’s fast-paced, uncertain world.” —Willie Pietersen, Professor, Columbia Business School; former CEO, Tropicana and Seagram USA

Solving for Project Risk Management: Understanding the Critical Role of Uncertainty in Project Management

Solving for Project Risk Management: Understanding the Critical Role of Uncertainty in Project Management
Author: Christian B. Smart
Publisher: McGraw Hill Professional
Total Pages: 321
Release: 2020-11-23
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1260473848

Risk is real—but you can manage it with this hard-hitting guide to reducing risk on any project, in any industry All projects, large and small, are subject to various risks. But the failure to manage inherent risk with diligence and know-how can lead to devastating consequences for an organization. In this comprehensive hands-on guide, a renowned expert in the field provides everything organizations need to conduct project risk management the right way. Why do so many projects come in over schedule and over budget? How do projected expenditures and schedules line up with reality? How can you accurately assess risk to mitigate financial disaster? Through a methodical, statistics-based approach, Christian B. Smart reveals: The enduring problem of cost and schedule growth How rigorous project risk management can reduce the impact of uncertainty The systematic tendency to underestimate risk—and how to avoid it Ways to accurately assess confidence levels in project risk management The need for proper risk management at the portfolio level The author lays out common problems and explains how to effectively solve them. And while he employs a wealth of illustrative charts, graphs, and statistics, he presents the material in an accessible style, and peppers the text with powerful personal anecdotes. Ideal for project managers, business analysts, and senior decision makers in both the public and private sectors, Solving for Project Risk Management offers everything you need to ensure your projects run smoothly, on budget, and deliver the expected outcomes.

Risk and the Smart Investor

Risk and the Smart Investor
Author: David C. Martin
Publisher: McGraw Hill Professional
Total Pages: 289
Release: 2010-08-20
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0071743502

Master the most important investing skill of all—DECISION MAKING “De-risking your investments requires knowing that there is much you don’t know.” –David X Martin Risk exists because of one simple fact: Decisions are always based on incomplete information. Therefore, to meet your investment goals over the long term, you must learn to manage the risks associated with a decision-making process that is by nature flawed. Risk and the Smart Investor provides a framework for making such decisions. Avoiding unrealistic promises of completely risk-free investing, world-renowned risk management expert David X Martin familiarizes you with the principles of risk management. Based on Martin’s experience in managing risk at several of the world’s largest financial institutions, this principlebased approach presents a unique perspective that helps you manage the risk in every investment you make. Risk and the Smart Investor provides not only a framework for managing risk in today’s markets, it also prepares you to handle the next financial crisis—which is coming, sooner or later—by separating risk management into four separate processes: Assessment—know where you are, but accept the fact that you cannot know everything The Rules of the Game—determine your appetite for risk, diversify accordingly, demand transparency, and institute checks and balances Decision Making—consider all alternatives, fit your plans into specific time frames, and always have an exit strategy Reevaluation—continually monitor the outcomes of your decisions and learn from your mistakes Praise for Risk and the Smart Investor “Interesting and instructive. A good book for those who want to learn about risk and build this knowledge into their financial decisions.” —John Reed, former CEO, Citigroup “David Martin has produced a popular yet serious post-financial crisis reflection on the fundamentals of risk management as a living process. Rich in experience and wisdom, Risk and the Smart Investor is both a useful handbook brimming with insights, and a moral tale for our times. Simply a must-read for every serious investor, risk manager, and just about everyone else.” —Michael Power, professor, London School of Economics and Political Science “David Martin knows risk and the active investor and his book proves it.” —Jerry Lieberman “This book is like having your own mentor to guide you through risk management decisions.” —William Rhodes, Chairman, Citigroup and Citibank

Smart Risk Management

Smart Risk Management
Author: Ron Rael
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 144
Release: 2017-05-15
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1940235332

Management accountants must be able to define the payoffs from their organisation's risk taking, as well as identify, understand, and reduce the negative effects of everyday business risks. This book defines organisational risk taking and outlines a formal process to handle risk effectively. The book details six steps for sound risk management: Defining risk Examining your attitude toward risk Analysing your organisation's ability to handle risk Minimising a risk's exposure or downside Recovering quickly from a risk's negative impacts Expanding your knowledge so you can accept more risk with confidence Written for management accountants, Smart Risk Management analyses your position in the middle of the organisation-ensuring both that it does not take risks whose costs it cannot afford and that it takes enough risks to stay competitive in the evolving marketplace. Having adequate insurance coverage is only one small piece of risk management, as this book explains. With ample examples and case studies, as well as 50 hands-on risk tools, Smart Risk Management will enhance your understanding of strategic, operational, and innovation risk and increase your value to your organisation.

Risk-Based Performance Management

Risk-Based Performance Management
Author: A. Smart
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 323
Release: 2013-10-31
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 113736730X

Pulling together into a single framework the two separate disciplines of strategy management and risk management, this book provides a practical guide for organizations to shape and execute sustainable strategies with full understanding of how much risk they are willing to accept in pursuit of strategic goals.

Risk Communication for the Future

Risk Communication for the Future
Author: Mathilde Bourrier
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 176
Release: 2018-06-27
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 3319740989

The conventional approach to risk communication, based on a centralized and controlled model, has led to blatant failures in the management of recent safety related events. In parallel, several cases have proved that actors not thought of as risk governance or safety management contributors may play a positive role regarding safety. Building on these two observations and bridging the gap between risk communication and safety practices leads to a new, more societal perspective on risk communication, that allows for smart risk governance and safety management. This book is Open Access under a CC-BY licence.

Upside, Downside

Upside, Downside
Author: Ron Dembo
Publisher: Doubleday Canada
Total Pages: 224
Release: 2006
Genre: Finance, Personal
ISBN: 9780385661591

From Ron Dembo, advisor to leading banks and hedge funds, and Daniel Stoffman, co-author of the revolutionary bestseller Boom, Bust and Echo, Upside, Downside is an accessible guide to the biggest danger facing investors in an increasingly uncertain world: financial risk. As a generation of investors knows, financial markets are vulnerable to events – from terrorist attacks to epidemics – that are guaranteed to occur, yet impossible to predict. As markets become more complex and intertwined, investors feel increasingly unsure: how can you safeguard your financial prospects when you can’t know what the future will look like? Upside, Downside is a toolbox to protect yourself from financial risk. Co-authored by a leading financial journalist and a pioneer in the field of risk management who advises the world’s major banks, it gives investors access for the first time to the most advanced risk management strategies available, distilled into three simple rules for managing risk. These rules – Knowing What You Own, Using Multiple Scenarios, and Anticipating Regret – will allow you to take control of your financial future. You can’t banish all the dangers of the world, but Upside, Downside will give you the skills to manage them.

Smart Risk

Smart Risk
Author: Maili Wong
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2016
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9781599326023

In Smart Risk, leading wealth catalyst and portfolio manager Maili Wong shows how to achieve your financial purpose with a "Smart Risk Investing Roadmap." This roadmap builds a foundation based on purpose, poeple, plan perspective and positive action.

Grow Smart, Risk Less

Grow Smart, Risk Less
Author: Shelly Sun
Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group
Total Pages: 333
Release: 2011-10-17
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 160832284X

Looking for a low-risk, low-capital path to astounding growth?Experienced franchisor Shelly Sun shares practical advice and her own compelling experiences to help you discover the power and avoid the pitfalls of franchising your business.In today's economic environment, access to capital is limited, and that isn't likely to change. Successful business owners have few options for dramatically expanding their brand. Grow Smart, Risk Less describes how you can use other people's money and can leverage your success for fast, profitable growth.Unlike many authors of books on franchising, Shelly Sun has been through the process, growing her business from $1 million to $100 million in five years in system-wide sales. In Grow Smart, Risk Less she describes the process she went through-equal parts brutally grueling and enormously rewarding-to make it happen. She will educate you on every stage of the franchising process, preparing you to make savvy business decisions that are right for your company now. You will learn how to Determine if you have a concept worthy of franchising and how to adjust your concept if you don't Assemble a professional team without wasting money Adjust your business model along the way for optimum growth Grow as a leader to assume the new challenges of leading a larger, more diverse organizationIf you're ready for the next stage of business development, read Grow Smart, Risk Less and set yourself on the path to amazing growth.