Don’t Drink the Water: How to Avoid Risk-Taking Side Effects
Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes
By Erin Gloeckner
Imagine crystal clear waves washing up on white sand beaches, lively steel pan music floating through humid air, and sweet rum punch flowing freely into your glass. Several years ago I enjoyed all three delights during a heavenly vacation in serene Trinidad and Tobago, a Caribbean country comprised of two islands located off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. Highlights of my trip include snorkeling with sea turtles and dolphins, exploring a lush rainforest on a jeep safari, and partaking in the ultimate revelry that is Carnival: dancing in a feathered costume among strangers from across the globe. Best of all, I experienced Trinidad and Tobago’s culture through my favorite conduit: food.
Before traveling abroad, my caring and risk-averse mom warned, “Don’t drink the tap water or you will get sick.” So for the first two days of my vacation, I purchased bottled water and only ate meals at well-established restaurants. But I soon realized that limiting myself to tourist-intended eateries was preventing me from experiencing the true local culture. And I convinced myself that no foreign stomach bug could breach my iron gut. Thereafter, I drank only tap water and ate only street food. Once, I even purchased breakfast out of the trunk of a stranger’s sedan! Every street meal was incredibly tasty and, no, Mom, I didn’t get sick.
My experience with foreign street food is probably not typical. Luck and thorough planning both helped me avoid the unwanted side effects associated with food-related risks. Instead of lying in bed suffering from severe nausea, I enjoyed surprisingly positive side effects including thrills from exotic spices and a pleasantly full tummy. I wonder if my recent experience can help or inspire you to fortify your nonprofit against the negative side effects of risk-taking. Have a taste of my favorite Trinidad and Tobago dishes, and take a look at my packing list for risk-takers.
Favorite Trinidad & Tobago Dishes
Meal: Roti (ROH-tee)
Cost in USD: $4
Location Purchased: Wooden shack on the side of the road
Description: Thin, crepe-like wrap filled with fried fish, spicy curried potatoes, chickpeas, and grilled mango.
Side Effects: Pleasurable “Mmmm!” sounds, rousing burning sensation on tongue, full tummy, and food-induced sleepiness.
Meal: Barbecue Chicken
Cost in USD: $8
Location Purchased: Tent on the side of the road
Description: Half of a tender, barbecued chicken served with banana salad, cassava pie, and curried lentils.
Side Effects: Silence caused by continually full mouth, comfort and contentment, extreme fullness and lethargy.
Meal: Doubles
Cost in USD: 75¢
Location Purchased: Trunk of a sedan parked in the lot of a deserted building
Description: Sweet, egg-based fried bread with curried chickpeas and cucumber.
Side Effects: Pleasant surprise, smiles and sticky fingers, longing for similarly cheap yet delicious street food in the US.
I embraced food-related risks during my vacation. But, I’m the type of person that invites risk when it holds opportunities for personal growth. If you are a leader who recognizes that risk-taking is essential for organizational growth, consider packing the following essential items into your carry-on. Whether you’re risking food poisoning or negative feedback from funders, this packing list will help you combat the negative side effects in order to capitalize on upside risks.
Risk-Taker’s Packing List
Aspirin®: A pain reliever can help maintain your nonprofit’s operations while you travel through a bevy of risks. Many nonprofit pain relievers come in the form of a Risk Champion, Safety Task Force, Crisis Response Team or Risk Management Committee. These leaders provide both preventive and responsive health support to your nonprofit. In advance of a risk or crisis materializing, the team devises a plan. And like a reliable, OTC pain-reliever, your risk team is ready to relieve the side effects of downside risks you were unable to avoid. Effective risk teams often display the following characteristics:
- The commitment to involve colleagues with diverse points of view in risk assessment and risk management
- The courage to take risks
- The guts to reflect honestly on the efficacy of the risk management program
- The patience to tackle specific risk management goals, such as freeing up financial resources or engaging the board in risk oversight
Bandages: If you do get a scrape from risk-taking, you might need bandages or a compress—or even a crisis management plan—to stop the bleeding. Never travel far from your zone of comfort and experience without a clear, easy-to-implement emergency plan. Remember that your crisis management plan is likely to be a bit different from your more comprehensive, proactive risk management plan. Your crisis management plan should include policies on communicating with stakeholders and the media during a crisis. You don’t want to wind up in foreign territory without being able to speak the language.
Pepcid®: When your efforts to avoid the negative effects of risk-taking don’t pan out, you might need a heartburn reliever. An honest self-assessment of “what happened” is probably in order. Everyone gets a little heartburn after experiencing a setback, but the most successful risk-takers relish the opportunity to revamp and improve their efforts. Take a dose of Pepcid® and begin the critique!
Sunscreen: Before heading out to the beach, always apply liberal amounts of sunscreen to reduce the risk of damage from exposure to the sun. A nonprofit’s sunscreen is the strategic vision of its board. Your board members are responsible for assessing the big picture risks that could threaten mission sustainability. Never leave the board’s vision off your packing list. In fact, insist that the board focus on distant threats and opportunities—guidance at a high SPF—to keep your nonprofit from getting burned. Stop burying the board in operational details and free up board agendas to allow sufficient time for the discussion of strategic issues. Then sit back and watch your board shine.
Vaccinations: Your risk management plan is like a vaccine. The plan helps you monitor the big risks that could threaten the health of your nonprofit, and offers strategies and activities which act as a booster to fend off germs. With your risk management plan in place, you can travel the world with confidence. Your risk management plan should include reference to your commitment to strengthen the risk assessment and risk management skills of your staff. If your organization needs or aspires to create a custom-fit risk management plan, create one using the Center’s popular Cloud tool, My Risk Management Plan. If your nonprofit has a risk management plan with noticeable gaps, consider creating custom policies that suit your culture with our program My Risk Management Policies.
Erin Gloeckner is former Director of Consulting Services at the Nonprofit Risk Management Center.
“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.”
— Scott Brown, Mohonk Preserve
“BBYO’s engagement of the Center 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 the Center. 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.
— Sidney Abrams, BBYO
“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.”
— Pamela Mattel, Basics Promesa Systems Inc
“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.”
— Jodi Spataro, Community Foundation of Elkhart County
“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.”
— Marti Worshtil, Prince George’s Child Resource Center
Great American Insurance Group’s Specialty Human Services is committed to protecting those who improve your communities. The Center 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!