Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes
By Melanie Lockwood Herman
As a teenager I was open to just about any job that would enable me to keep the gas tank full in my Fiat 850 Spider convertible. Of course I also needed cash to fund the cost of replacement parts, which I always bought from a nearby junkyard. Half the fun was coaxing the part I needed off a Fiat that had seen better days. Equally fun was convincing the junkyard clerk that the part was worth $10, at most.
One summer I seized the opportunity to make real money by working on the night shift assembly line at Parker Brothers, the game manufacturer founded in 1883 by George S. Parker. Parker was a pioneer in the game biz who preached that games needn’t always teach morality. Parker believed that it’s perfectly fine to play games for fun. There’s just a bit of irony in the fact that 32 years ago I worked for the company that invented the game “Risk.” That particular game was then, and still is, one of my favorites.
Given the serious business of risk management, is there any room for play? As it turns out, games, role-playing and scenario planning are essential components of risk practice. In the article titled “War games,” in the March 15th edition of The Economist, I learned that military and intelligence industry leaders meet regularly to play the board game Persian Incursion. According to the sources cited in the article, strategy board games are useful because they “foster critical but creative thinking needed to win (or avoid) a complex battle or campaign.” In particular, Persian Incursion “forces players to grapple with myriad cascading events, revealing causal chains they might not imagine.”
Risk—an action or event that could positively or negatively impact your ability to achieve key objectives—is neither two dimensional nor linear. Risk events don’t occur in exactly the way you envisioned, and they don’t materialize in isolation.
If you appreciate the fun and learning in games and play, consider the following risk tips.
Melanie Lockwood Herman is Executive Director at the Nonprofit Risk Management Center. She welcomes comments and questions at Melanie@nonprofitrisk.org or 703.777.3504.
“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 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.
“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 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!