What are the best ways to cultivate a positive risk attitude in yourself and others?

1 Define and communicate risk appetite

One of the first steps to cultivate a positive risk attitude is to define and communicate your risk appetite, which is the level of risk that you are willing and able to accept or tolerate in pursuit of your project objectives. By clarifying your risk appetite, you can set realistic and consistent expectations for yourself and your stakeholders, and align your risk management strategies accordingly. You can also use your risk appetite as a guide to evaluate and prioritize risks, and to decide which ones to accept, avoid, transfer, or mitigate.

2 Learn from past experiences

Another way to cultivate a positive risk attitude is to learn from your past experiences, both positive and negative, and use them to improve your future performance. You can do this by conducting regular risk reviews and lessons learned sessions, where you can identify what worked well and what didn't, what risks materialized and how you handled them, and what new risks emerged or changed. By reflecting on your past experiences, you can gain valuable insights and feedback, and apply them to your current and future projects. You can also share your lessons learned with others, and learn from their experiences as well.

3 Embrace uncertainty and change

A positive risk attitude also involves embracing uncertainty and change, rather than fearing or resisting them. Uncertainty and change are inherent in any project, and they can create both challenges and opportunities for your project. Instead of viewing them as threats, you can view them as sources of creativity, innovation, and adaptation. You can do this by adopting a flexible and agile mindset, where you can adjust and respond to changing circumstances, and by seeking new and better ways to achieve your project goals. You can also involve your team and stakeholders in the change process, and solicit their ideas and feedback.

4 Celebrate successes and failures

Another way to cultivate a positive risk attitude is to celebrate your successes and failures, and recognize them as part of your learning journey. Successes and failures are both outcomes of taking risks, and they both provide valuable information and feedback for your project. Instead of hiding or blaming failures, you can acknowledge and analyze them, and use them to improve your processes and practices. Instead of taking successes for granted, you can appreciate and celebrate them, and use them to motivate and inspire yourself and others. You can also reward and recognize yourself and others for taking risks, and for contributing to your project success.

5 Seek feedback and support

A positive risk attitude also requires seeking feedback and support from others, and using them to enhance your risk management skills and confidence. Feedback and support can come from various sources, such as your team members, stakeholders, mentors, coaches, peers, or experts. By seeking feedback, you can gain different perspectives and insights on your risks and opportunities, and identify areas for improvement or enhancement. By seeking support, you can leverage the skills and resources of others, and overcome challenges or difficulties that you may face. You can also provide feedback and support to others, and foster a culture of collaboration and trust.

6 Develop your risk management competencies

The final way to cultivate a positive risk attitude is to develop your risk management competencies, which are the knowledge, skills, and abilities that enable you to effectively identify, assess, plan, implement, monitor, and control risks in your projects. By developing your risk management competencies, you can increase your confidence and competence in dealing with risks, and improve your project performance and outcomes. You can develop your risk management competencies by acquiring relevant training and education, by applying best practices and standards, by using appropriate tools and techniques, and by continuously updating and improving your risk management processes and practices.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?