What makes a good risk manager?

Risk managers can sometimes relate with the Greek mythological figure Cassandra - she was blessed with the gift of prophecy, but was also cursed so that no-one would believe her. One may come armed with all the facts, research, and statistics needed, but if they are unable to convince the major decision-makers in an organisation, then their work is virtually useless.

According to John McLaughlin (pictured), senior managing director of Gallagher's higher education practice, good stories will hold listeners' interest, build a connection, and (hopefully) offer a satisfactory conclusion.

"Do you need buy-in from senior leadership to create a policy on a new and emerging risk? Do you need faculty and staff to sign on to following a new policy? Having a good story about what could go wrong if the institution doesn't have such a policy can be far more helpful than citing a regulation or statistics," he said.

Read on for further insight