Risk management, like financial management, is an important tool for the survival of your business. Without a stabilized risk management system in place, a surprise can get you unawares and mess things up before you know it. 

However, risk could come as external and internal. External risks are way beyond your control as you may not be able to predict accurately exchange rates, political influence, or even weather. Internal risks on the other hand are the ones that come from your organization and should be appropriately managed.

So how do you manage these risks?

• Risk Identification: Identify potential risks that could impact your business. These can include financial risks, operational risks, market risks, legal and regulatory risks, technological risks, and more. Regularly conduct risk assessments and involve key stakeholders to ensure comprehensive coverage.

• Risk Analysis: Once you’ve identified the risks, assess their potential impact and likelihood of occurrence. Prioritize risks based on their severity and the likelihood of them happening. This analysis will help you focus on the most critical risks.

• Risk Mitigation: Develop strategies to mitigate or reduce the impact of identified risks. This can involve implementing safety measures, contingency plans, redundancies, and risk transfer mechanisms like insurance.

• Risk Avoidance: For some risks, the best strategy may be to avoid them altogether. Evaluate whether certain business ventures or decisions carry too much risk and consider avoiding them if the potential downsides outweigh the benefits.

• Risk Transfer: Transfer certain risks to third parties through insurance policies or other contractual arrangements. While this doesn’t eliminate the risk, it can help reduce the financial impact on your business if the risk materializes.

• Employee Training and Engagement: Well-trained and engaged employees can help identify and manage risks at various levels of the organization. Foster a risk-aware culture and encourage employees to report potential risks and issues.

Remember that risk is inherent in business, and you cannot eliminate it. Effective risk management involves striking a balance between risk-taking and prudent decision-making to achieve your business objectives while safeguarding your enterprise from excessive exposure to potential threats.