Risk Management (or not) - Revision history

Simon: /* Reasons to Disregard Risks */ Added some more.

2026-08-28T16:05:30Z

Reasons to Disregard Risks: Added some more.

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:05, 28 August 2026
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	==Reasons to Disregard Risks==		==Reasons to Disregard Risks==
	*Superstition. "Speak of the Devil and he shall appear."		*Superstition. "Speak of the Devil and he shall appear."
	*Magical Thinking. "If we don't talk about it, it can't happen". And ~~the~~ corollary:		*Magical Thinking. "If we don't talk about it, it can't happen". And its corollary:
	*Likelihood Thought-Action Fusion. "Talking about it makes it happen".		*Likelihood Thought-Action Fusion. "Talking about it makes it happen".
	*The Ostrich Effect. "Bury your head in the sand and the bad thing will go away".		*The Ostrich Effect. "Bury your head in the sand and the bad thing will go away".
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	*Blame the Messenger.		*Blame the Messenger.
	*Punitive Delegation. "You saw it, you fix it."		*Punitive Delegation. "You saw it, you fix it."
	*~~Slopy~~-shoulders. "Bring me solutions, not problems".		*Slopey-shoulders. "Bring me solutions, not problems".
	*Safe Inaction. "Let sleeping dogs lie".		*Safe Inaction. "Let sleeping dogs lie".
	*Career-minded Inaction. "You don't get sacked for making no decision".		*Career-minded Inaction. "You don't get sacked for making no decision".
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	*Bystander Effect. "Surely <i>everyone</i> can see this, so <i>someone</i> must be dealing with it".		*Bystander Effect. "Surely <i>everyone</i> can see this, so <i>someone</i> must be dealing with it".
	*Pluralistic Ignorance. "Everyone else is cheering the Emperor's new suit. It must be me that's mistaken."		*Pluralistic Ignorance. "Everyone else is cheering the Emperor's new suit. It must be me that's mistaken."
	*Weaponised Competence. "If you can't see ow this works, you aren't thinking <i>strategically</i>".		*Weaponised Competence. "If you can't see how this works, you aren't thinking <i>strategically</i>".
	*The Newcomer. "When you've been here a while, you'll understand".		*The Newcomer. "When you've been here a while, you'll understand".
	*Unstoppable Project Momentum. "We've gone too far to stop now".		*Unstoppable Project Momentum. "We've gone too far to stop now".
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	*Goodhart's Law. "The SLA says we can't have any more risks".		*Goodhart's Law. "The SLA says we can't have any more risks".
	*Organisational Inertia. "We can't change how we do things, it's like turning a super-tanker".		*Organisational Inertia. "We can't change how we do things, it's like turning a super-tanker".
	*Cassandra Syndrome. "Oh is he complaining about that thing AGAIN? He's always complaining about it. Ignore him."		*Cassandra Syndrome. "Oh, is he complaining about that thing AGAIN? He's always complaining about it. Ignore him."
	*The Law of Triviality. "We'll worry about that huge thing another day. First we need to count the paperclips."		*The Law of Triviality. "We'll worry about that huge thing another day. First we need to count the paperclips."
	*The Crocodile Nearest the Boat. "Don't worry about that huge problem that's downstream. There's a little problem right here."		*The Crocodile Nearest the Boat. "Don't worry about that huge problem that's downstream. There's a little problem right here."
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	*The Chilling Effect. "Stop looking to cause trouble. It is disruptive and not appreciated."		*The Chilling Effect. "Stop looking to cause trouble. It is disruptive and not appreciated."
	*Cascade Anxiety. "Don't go opening that can of worms, it'll just create more problems."		*Cascade Anxiety. "Don't go opening that can of worms, it'll just create more problems."
	*Pandora's Box Effect. "If we go down that path, it opens up too much complexity for us to handle".		*Pandora's Box Effect. "If we go down that path, it opens up too much complexity for us to handle."
	*Strategic Misrepresentation. "If we document that risk, we might lose the funding."		*Strategic Misrepresentation. "If we document that risk, we might lose the funding."
	*Action Bias. "Stop thinking about what might go wrong and just get on with it".		*Action Bias. "Stop thinking about what might go wrong and just get on with it".
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	*Analysis Paralysis Pre-emption. "Don't go down that rabbit hole and get us bogged down in what-ifs. Let's move on".		*Analysis Paralysis Pre-emption. "Don't go down that rabbit hole and get us bogged down in what-ifs. Let's move on".
	*Career Warning. "You need to think about your audience before making statements like that."		*Career Warning. "You need to think about your audience before making statements like that."
			*Semantic Evasion. "It's not a risk because we know it will happen, but it is not an issue because it has not happened yet."
			*Administrative Friction. "The risk system is too hard to use."
			*Hierarchy Deflection. "That's a corporate risk, not a project risk."
			*Audit Magnet. "Don't put that down. Audit & Assurance will want a mitigation plan and we can't afford the mitigation."
			*Political Timing. "Don't record that yet, it's not a good time."
			*Technical Debt. "Don't call it a risk or we might get sacked. Call it Technical Debt so we get extended to fix it."
			*Scope Creepiness. "Irrelevant. Fixing that is not in our scope."
			*Hero Creation. "Don't record it. Let's fix it, <i>then</i> tell them we found it <i>and</i> fixed it."
			*Deferential Delay. "The SRO is about to retire. Don't raise that showstopper until after the leaving do."
			*Corporate Gag. "The lawyers and PR said the cause never happened, so we mustn't record the risks it created."
			*NDA Blindfold. "We're not allowed to talk about that matter and I'm not even supposed to tell you we can't."
			*Political Expediency. "That would need a mitigation action and we could be accused of knowing it would go wrong all along."
			*Negotiational Expediency. "Don't bring that up until we've finished negotiating the contract."
			*Zero Risk Bias. "The Board has a zero tolerance of risk."
			*Atychiphobic Governance. "If I admit there's a risk, it means confessing I've failed as a manager."
			*The Immaculate Delivery Myth. "The Seniors brought you in to run this project properly and that means no risks. Understand?"

	==Reasons to Raise Risks==		==Reasons to Raise Risks==

Simon: /* Reasons to Disregard Risks */ Fixed minor grammar error

2026-08-28T15:17:57Z

Reasons to Disregard Risks: Fixed minor grammar error

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:17, 28 August 2026
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	*Likelihood Thought-Action Fusion. "Talking about it makes it happen".		*Likelihood Thought-Action Fusion. "Talking about it makes it happen".
	*The Ostrich Effect. "Bury your head in the sand and the bad thing will go away".		*The Ostrich Effect. "Bury your head in the sand and the bad thing will go away".
	*Risk Denial. "Don't document it otherwise it staff ~~affects~~ morale and upsets stakeholders and then it will happen".		*Risk Denial. "Don't document it otherwise it affects staff morale and upsets stakeholders and then it will happen".
	*Minimisation. "That's not a real risk".		*Minimisation. "That's not a real risk".
	*Normalcy Bias. "It's never happened before".		*Normalcy Bias. "It's never happened before".

Simon: /* Reasons to Disregard Risks */ Added another.

2026-06-08T10:12:10Z

Reasons to Disregard Risks: Added another.

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:12, 8 June 2026
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	*Budget Protection. "We haven't the money to do anything about that anyway".		*Budget Protection. "We haven't the money to do anything about that anyway".
	*Analysis Paralysis Pre-emption. "Don't go down that rabbit hole and get us bogged down in what-ifs. Let's move on".		*Analysis Paralysis Pre-emption. "Don't go down that rabbit hole and get us bogged down in what-ifs. Let's move on".
			*Career Warning. "You need to think about your audience before making statements like that."

	==Reasons to Raise Risks==		==Reasons to Raise Risks==

Simon: Tidied headers. Added some more.

2026-06-02T20:57:59Z

Tidied headers. Added some more.

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:57, 2 June 2026
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	=~~Risk Management~~=		==Reasons to Disregard Risks==

	~~==REASONS TO DISREGARD RISKS~~==
	*Superstition. "Speak of the Devil and he shall appear."		*Superstition. "Speak of the Devil and he shall appear."
	*Magical Thinking ("If we don't talk about it, it can't happen"~~) and~~ the corollary: Likelihood Thought-Action Fusion ("~~talking~~ about it makes it happen").		*Magical Thinking. "If we don't talk about it, it can't happen". And the corollary:
	*The Ostrich Effect ("~~bury~~ your head in the sand and the bad thing will go away").		*Likelihood Thought-Action Fusion. "Talking about it makes it happen".
	*Risk Denial ("~~don~~'t document it otherwise it affects morale and upsets stakeholders and then it will happen").		*The Ostrich Effect. "Bury your head in the sand and the bad thing will go away".
	Denial Culture ("Keep calm and shut the *** up").		*Risk Denial. "Don't document it otherwise it staff affects morale and upsets stakeholders and then it will happen".
			*Minimisation. "That's not a real risk".
			*Normalcy Bias. "It's never happened before".
			*Optimism Bias. "That wouldn't happen here".
			*Risk Discounting. "It wouldn't be that bad".
			*Disaster Myopia. "Nothing like that has happened for years".
			Denial Culture. "Keep calm and shut the *** up".
			*Defensive Denial. "Are you saying my plan is flawed?"
			*False Positivity. "Don't be so negative. It might never happen."
	*Blame the Messenger.		*Blame the Messenger.
	*Punitive Delegation: "You saw it, you fix it."		*Punitive Delegation. "You saw it, you fix it."
	*Slopy-~~shouldered:~~ "Bring me solutions, not problems."		*Slopy-shoulders. "Bring me solutions, not problems".
	*Safe Inaction: "Let sleeping dogs lie". "You don't get sacked for making no decision."		*Safe Inaction. "Let sleeping dogs lie".
	*Omission Bias: "If I ignore it and it blows up, bad luck. If I poke it and it blows up, I'll get the blame."		*Career-minded Inaction. "You don't get sacked for making no decision".
	*Benign Neglect: "It's not broken enough to be worth fixing".		*Omission Bias. "If I ignore it and it blows up, bad luck. If I poke it and it blows up, I'll get the blame."
	*Strategic Inaction: "I have decided it should wait".		*Benign Neglect. "It's not broken enough to be worth fixing".
	*Wilful Ignorance: "La, la, la. Oops, dropped it in the bin."		*Strategic Inaction. "I have decided it should wait".
	*Organisational Inertia: "We don't do it that way here".		*Wilful Ignorance. "La, la, la, can't hear you. Oops, dropped it in the bin."
	*Kick it Down the Road: "I'll move on before it happens".		*Organisational Inertia. "We don't do it that way here".
			*Kick it Down the Road. "I'll move on before it happens".
			*Science Will Fix It. "Not a problem. Science will find a solution."
			*Groupthink. "There's only you thinks that so you're wrong".
			*The Abilene Paradox. "It looks like everyone else thinks this isn't a problem so I'll keep quiet".
			*Bystander Effect. "Surely <i>everyone</i> can see this, so <i>someone</i> must be dealing with it".
			*Pluralistic Ignorance. "Everyone else is cheering the Emperor's new suit. It must be me that's mistaken."
			*Weaponised Competence. "If you can't see ow this works, you aren't thinking <i>strategically</i>".
			*The Newcomer. "When you've been here a while, you'll understand".
			*Unstoppable Project Momentum. "We've gone too far to stop now".
			*Traffic Light Quota. "We already have our limit for red risks on the dashboard".
			*Goodhart's Law. "The SLA says we can't have any more risks".
			*Organisational Inertia. "We can't change how we do things, it's like turning a super-tanker".
			*Cassandra Syndrome. "Oh is he complaining about that thing AGAIN? He's always complaining about it. Ignore him."
			*The Law of Triviality. "We'll worry about that huge thing another day. First we need to count the paperclips."
			*The Crocodile Nearest the Boat. "Don't worry about that huge problem that's downstream. There's a little problem right here."
			*Bum-covering. "It's OK, I already alluded to that on page 156 in Appendix D."
			*Panic Avoidance Bias. "Don't mention that; it'll set the hares running and create more work."
			*I Hear What You Say. "I'm not interested. Shut up and go away."
			*The Chilling Effect. "Stop looking to cause trouble. It is disruptive and not appreciated."
			*Cascade Anxiety. "Don't go opening that can of worms, it'll just create more problems."
			*Pandora's Box Effect. "If we go down that path, it opens up too much complexity for us to handle".
			*Strategic Misrepresentation. "If we document that risk, we might lose the funding."
			*Action Bias. "Stop thinking about what might go wrong and just get on with it".
			*Scope Insulated Execution. "We need to protect the scope and not get tied up hypothesising legal implications".
			*Budget Protection. "We haven't the money to do anything about that anyway".
			*Analysis Paralysis Pre-emption. "Don't go down that rabbit hole and get us bogged down in what-ifs. Let's move on".

	==~~REASONS TO RAISE RISKS~~==		==Reasons to Raise Risks==
	*Come to think of it, I'm not sure now.		*Come to think of it, I'm not sure there are any now.

	[[Category: Project management‏‎]]		[[Category: Project management‏‎]]

Simon: Created page

2026-06-02T18:46:21Z

Created page

New page

=Risk Management=

==REASONS TO DISREGARD RISKS==
*Superstition. "Speak of the Devil and he shall appear."
*Magical Thinking ("If we don't talk about it, it can't happen") and the corollary: Likelihood Thought-Action Fusion ("talking about it makes it happen").
*The Ostrich Effect ("bury your head in the sand and the bad thing will go away").
*Risk Denial ("don't document it otherwise it affects morale and upsets stakeholders and then it will happen").
*Denial Culture ("Keep calm and shut the **** up").
*Blame the Messenger.
*Punitive Delegation: "You saw it, you fix it."
*Slopy-shouldered: "Bring me solutions, not problems."
*Safe Inaction: "Let sleeping dogs lie". "You don't get sacked for making no decision."
*Omission Bias: "If I ignore it and it blows up, bad luck. If I poke it and it blows up, I'll get the blame."
*Benign Neglect: "It's not broken enough to be worth fixing".
*Strategic Inaction: "I have decided it should wait".
*Wilful Ignorance: "La, la, la. Oops, dropped it in the bin."
*Organisational Inertia: "We don't do it that way here".
*Kick it Down the Road: "I'll move on before it happens".

==REASONS TO RAISE RISKS==
*Come to think of it, I'm not sure now.

[[Category: Project management‏‎]]