Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes
Lead Consultant and Editor
When was your last big risk management win? Did you feel like you’d earned your superhero cape?
Reflecting on our successes can help us build on areas where we excel as risk managers. It can also help us identify areas where we could use some help to grow our skills.
That was the goal of NRMC’s first affiliate member webinar of the year, “Cultivate Your Risk Manager Superpowers.” We created a (subjective!) list of 10 “superpowers” of great risk managers and shared ideas for how to cultivate those qualities.
Here’s a peek at some of those superpowers, with ways to hone these skills at any stage on your risk management journey.
1. Adaptability
This superpower allows us to adjust when the conditions around us change. Adaptability helps us let go of ideas, processes, and goals that no longer serve our organizations.
If you’re very adaptable and want to build on that:
If you know adaptability is a challenge for you, here are some ways to grow.
2. Communication
Communication skills can cut through confusion and misunderstanding. They can help you sense and address issues like fear and anxiety about change. And with strong communication skills, you can create great relationships that support risk management.
If you’re a strong communicator and want to build on your skills:
If you struggle with communication and want to improve:
3. Creativity
This superpower helps us envision things beyond what we or our organization have seen before. It helps us work with our colleagues to create innovative risk solutions. And it brings more enjoyment to our life and work.
If you’re very creative and want to build on that:
If you don’t think you’re very creative, here are some ways to boost your creativity.
Try out some of these techniques and see how they affect your risk management practice this year. NRMC Affiliate Members who have created a profile on our website can check out our archived webinar in their Affiliate Dashboard and learn how to grow in all 10 superpowers. If your agency is not yet an Affiliate Member but is interested in registering for upcoming sessions, join today online or contact Whitney Thomey at whitney@nonprofitrisk.org or 571-307-4321 to learn more about our member benefits. And stay curious!
Rachel Sams is Lead Consultant and Editor at the Nonprofit Risk Management Center. She recently visited a children’s museum to play with circuits. Reach her with thoughts and questions about risk management superpowers at rachel@nonprofitrisk.org or (505) 456-4045.
“First let me congratulate you on a conference well done. I had a great time at the Nonprofit Employee Benefits Conference and walked away with some valuable tools and questions that we’ll need to be addressing in both the short and long term. Thanks to you and your staff for all you do to provide us with quality resources in support of our missions.”
“BBYO’s engagement of NRMC to conduct a risk assessment was one of the most valuable processes undertaken over the past five years. Numerous programmatic and procedural changes were recommended and have since been implemented. Additionally, dozens (literally) of insurance coverage gaps were identified that would never have been without the work of NRMC. This assessment led to a broker bidding process that resulted in BBYO’s selection of a new broker that we have been extremely satisfied with. I unconditionally recommend the Center for their consultative services.
“Melanie Herman has provided expert, insightful, timely and well resourced information to our Executive Team and Board of Directors. Our corporation recently experienced massive growth through merger and the Board has been working to better integrate their expanded set of roles and responsibilities. Melanie presented at our Annual Board of Director’s Retreat and captured the interest of our Board members. As a result of her excellent presentation the Board has engaged in focused review which is having immediate effects on governance.”
“The Nonprofit Risk Management Center has been an outstanding partner for us. They are attentive to our needs, and work hard to successfully meet our requests for information. Being an Affiliate member gave us access to so many time- and money-saving resources that it easily paid for itself! Nonprofit Risk Management Center is truly a valued partner of The Community Foundation of Elkhart County and we are continuously able to optimize staff time with the support given by their team.”
“The board and staff of the Prince George’s Child Resource Center are extremely pleased with the results of the risk assessment conducted by the Nonprofit Risk Management Center. A thorough scan revealed that while we are a well run organization, we had risks that we never imagined. We are grateful to know that we have now minimized our organizational risks and we recommend the Center to other nonprofits.”
Great American Insurance Group’s Specialty Human Services is committed to protecting those who improve your communities. The NRMC team has committed to delivering dynamic risk management solutions tailored to nonprofit organizations. These organizations have many and varied risk issues, hence the need for specialized coverage and expert knowledge for their protection. We’ve had Melanie speak on several occasions to employees and our agents. She is always on point and delivers such great value. Thank you for the terrific partnership and allowing our nonprofits to focus on their mission!
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