You Never Know
Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes
By Melanie Lockwood Herman
Executive Director
By Melanie Lockwood Herman
I listen to a music-only radio station during my commute to and from NRMC. During a recent ride home, I was struck and inspired by the lyrics of Around the Corner, written by Milan Miller and Thomm Jutz, performed by Terry Baucom and the Dukes of Drive.
The song begins with a phrase that could be the prophetic intro or poignant closing line of any nonprofit’s risk playbook: “You never know what’s waiting around the corner.” That line captures what nonprofit teams around the globe face, and the ‘why’ behind the work our team at NRMC does every day.
The lyric reminded me of the impossible, recent ask of a nonprofit leader: “We want your team to identify the risks none of us have thought of.” Hmm. Does that sound like the ideal assignment for an outsider? Perhaps not. Striving to identify, document and sort the risks ‘no one’ has ever thought of may feel deceptively productive. But who among us knows ‘what’s waiting around the corner’?
The more productive path is realistic and practical: ponder and identify a short list of potentially disruptive possibilities. Conduct that exercise with humility, not hubris. Remind yourself that your scripted scenarios probably won’t unfold the way—or according to the timetable—you imagine.
“You never know what’s waiting around the corner
But when you hear the call
You rise to the day, and move along your way
That’s the beauty of it all”
Nonprofit teams across our sector in the U.S. and around the world are doing just that. Hearing the call and rising to meet the day. Whatever that day holds. And in advance? Reflecting on the practical, reasonable, affordable steps we can all take to get ready. To be ready for any obstacle to delivering our mission and objectives: the beating heart and circulatory system that make everything else we do possible.
At NRMC, we bear witness to the beauty of the nonprofit sector: the deep commitments, abiding passions, and risk-aware decisions that infuse strength, opportunity, and hope in families and communities. Every day we see risk management professionals step up and into a stance of thoughtful readiness to engage ‘what’s just around the corner’.
I recently watched an interview of a young musician who seemed to flinch when asked by a journalist about what his music meant. He replied, “That’s not up to me.” I think what I love most about artistic expression is how it makes me feel: untethered and truly free to imagine what it might mean.
Melanie Lockwood Herman is executive director of the Nonprofit Risk Management Center. Her new book, Possibilities: A Risk Management Guide for Nonprofit Teams is available in ePub and paperback formats. Her new white paper, Manage Risk With Intention This Year is available here. She invites you to listen to a beautiful performance of Around the Corner here and welcomes your questions and the opportunity to connect—about any possibility—facing your organization at Melanie@nonprofitrisk.org or 703-777-3504.
“One thing I love about the Risk Summit is the opportunity to connect and learn from other risk managers, nonprofit professionals, and NRMC staff. I have attended the Risk Summit multiple years and always look forward to connecting with returning attendees and meeting new people. The Risk Summit brings together a diverse and engaged set of professionals who are ready to learn, share, and connect.”
— Heather Chadwick
“I love the Risk Summit because I always learn something valuable, such as new approaches to the issues I’m grappling with. I always leave the Risk Summit with a notebook full of practical ideas. I also leave with an expanded network of professional acquaintances and a feeling it was the most useful conference I’ve been to in quite a while. I am in awe how such a topic as risk management can be artfully delivered.”
— Paul Doman
“One thing I love about the Risk Summit is the ability to see and feel the passion of nonprofit leaders as they learn and share together.”
— Michael Schraer
“One thing I love about the Risk Summit is connecting and learning from / with really great people.”
— Lisa Prinz
“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 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.
— 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 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!