What do you do if your risk management training program lacks logical reasoning?

Conduct a thorough assessment to identify weaknesses. Utilize feedback mechanisms, surveys, and performance evaluations to gather insights from trainees. Analyze training materials, methodologies, and scenarios for coherence and relevance. Engage subject matter experts to pinpoint gaps and areas for improvement. Implement targeted enhancements to promote critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Continuous evaluation ensures training effectiveness and fosters a culture of informed decision-making in aviation risk management.

Consult seasoned professionals in safety, instructional design, and cognitive psychology. Collaborate with industry leaders, regulatory bodies, and academic institutions for insights and best practices. Conduct thorough analyses to identify deficiencies and develop tailored solutions. Incorporate interactive simulations, case studies, and real-world scenarios to enhance critical thinking skills. Expert involvement ensures comprehensive and effective training, elevating the competency of aviation personnel in risk management.

This is a common problem for new risk managers: You come into an established risk management program, only to find that the program lacks logical reasoning. In this scenario, engaging outside experts is often the best approach. If outside experts confirm your concerns about the company’s existing risk management policies and procedures, this can give you the leverage you need to affect meaningful change within the organization. What type of outside expert should you engage? The short answer is, “It depends.” In some cases, it will make sense to engage a consulting firm that can provide insights into what an effective risk management program should look like this.

Gather feedback from participants and experts to pinpoint deficiencies. Review curriculum, materials, and delivery methods for coherence and effectiveness. Incorporate logical frameworks, case studies, and practical exercises. Collaborate with industry professionals to ensure relevance and rigor. Continuous evaluation and refinement are essential for a robust training program that cultivates critical thinking and informed decision-making in risk management.

Encourage participation in workshops, seminars, and industry conferences to gain new insights. Implement regular knowledge-sharing sessions where team members can discuss challenges and solutions. Provide access to online courses and resources for self-paced learning. Recognize and reward individuals who actively seek to improve their understanding of risk management principles. By promoting a commitment to ongoing education, you empower the team to enhance their logical reasoning skills and contribute to the success of the operation.

Develop case studies and simulations to apply theoretical concepts in real-world scenarios. Facilitate discussions to analyze risks and devise solutions collaboratively. Provide hands-on exercises to reinforce learning and enhance critical thinking skills. Encourage feedback and reflection to bridge theory with practice effectively. By immersing the team in practical exercises, you prepare them to confidently apply their training in real-life situations, ensuring effective risk management in operations.

Risk training is possibly the most important actions to mitigate risks. In my experience, when faced with scenarios of opportunities for improvement in training, I separated the actions into communication, form and content. It is essential that the program is well publicized and has formats that attract the audience's attention, for example: role playing, gamification, Q&A sessions, managers boot camp, embedded risk training in other content, mobile training, etc. Regarding content, I suggest covering topics on ESG, ethics, integrity, risk culture, confidentiality, privacy, security, relationships with third parties, disciplinary measures, conflicts of interest, etc. Invite leaders to videos and announcements and recognize best practices.