Special Edition of The Business of Government Hour Leaders Speak on Managing Risk in Government

Each week my goal is straightforward: to introduce you to key government executives and thought leaders, who are tackling significant management challenges and seizing opportunities to lead.

Published 24 July 2018
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By

Michael J. Keegan

Leadership Fellow & Host, The Business of Government Hour

IBM Center for The Business of Government michael.j.keegan@us.ibm.com

To complement these examples of leadership in action, I also highlight the practical, actionable research done by some of the most recognized and respected thought leaders in public management.

Whether government leaders or thought leaders, our guests join us for an informative, insightful, and in-depth conversation. Over the last five years, I have interviewed more than 300 of them.  It is from this rich library that I have culled together their insights on managing risk in government.

This world is fraught with uncertainty, and all activities entail a certain level of risk. The increasing complexity and interconnectedness of today’s society only ups the ante on the unknown. What makes a difference for individuals and organizations alike is how well they can handle an uncertain environment, with risks ranging from financial to reputational to operational. The way to manage this uncertainty is to build government’s capacity to anticipate and be resilient – to prepare for the future and its effects.

U.S. federal agencies are hardly immune to the slings and arrows of uncertainty, which include sequestration, budget cuts, or a government shutdown. Along with these threats, each day federal agency leaders face similar, as well as unique, risks associated with fulfilling their respective program missions. Today’s headlines are full of stories of failed website launches, cyber hacks, abuses of power, extravagant spending, and a host of other risk management failures. The federal government has taken a hit, with the public’s trust in government continuing to be low, as measured in numerous surveys. This view is shaped in part from some of these stories about how federal agencies could have improved their operational and mission performance, had leaders taken the time to foresee and mitigate potential risks.

  • How has the use of risk management evolved in U.S. federal agencies?
  • What is Enterprise Risk Management?
  • What are some of the key risks facing government today?

In this Special Edition of The Business of Government Hour: Leaders Speak On Managing Risk in Government, I explore these questions and more.

Any time, any where ....

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