Retired General Stanley McChrystal argues that crises like the COVID-19 pandemic expose not the strength of the external threat, but the weakness of an organization's internal ability to detect, assess, and respond to risk—its 'risk immune system.'
We naturally gravitate toward practicing what we're already good at. Stanley McChrystal warns this creates gaping vulnerabilities. True resilience comes from identifying and systematically strengthening the weakest parts of an organization's risk response system.
Instead of judging colleagues' risk tolerance, Michelle Walker suggests practicing 'risk empathy'—understanding their unique 'risk fingerprint.' Knowing why someone prefers to leave for the airport early versus late can defuse conflict and lead to better team decisions.
General McChrystal warns that consistently circumventing proper channels for short-term gains, like soldiers stealing parts instead of using the supply chain, causes those systems to atrophy. This ensures they will fail when a large-scale crisis hits and they are needed most.
Strategist Michelle Walker posits that each person has a unique 'risk fingerprint' shaped by personality and experience. Crucially, it's also affected by temporary factors. For example, eating spicy food can make you more likely to take bigger risks for several hours afterward.
Michelle Walker argues that what appears as risk aversion is often a more accurate or 'savvy' assessment of a situation from a different perspective. For example, a woman may judge the risk of walking down a dark alley differently than a man, not because she's averse, but because the risk is objectively different for her.