How you measure performance is vital to how successfully you manage risk.

It is well known that we can only correct, refine and enhance what we measure, and this has no greater importance than when managing risk. 

So, when IIRSM spoke to members about the areas of risk management they wanted more training for, measurement was a popular suggestion. Members identified that by up-skilling in measurement, they could become more influential in and valuable to their organisation.

Meaningful Measures

Consequently, IIRSM worked with process and productivity consultant Tim Sismey* (pictured) to develop a training course on measurement, mapped against the IIRSM competence framework and designed for risk professionals and others with a responsibility for managing risk.

Meaningful Measures is the outcome, and IIRSM and Tim will run the next session of this insightful and practical course on 05 October. You can book here.

"Measurement is really important but often we're not great at it,” said Tim. “You can't change and improve what you don't measure, and measurement drives behaviour.

"Often, however, we measure the wrong things. We measure things that have happened rather than those factors that can lead to them happening. We must consider leading as well as lagging indicators. And then we need to make sure that we measure areas that we can influence day to day. At the end of our session, we want you to leave with a scorecard that's fit for purpose.”

In his online workshop, Tim explores:

    •    KPIs vs performance measures

    •    Helpful and unhelpful measures

    •    Driving action

    •    Balancing your measures

Using a high-level process map or existing KPIs, Tim works with you on the process of designing a set of measures that can be used to track and diagnose performance. By the end of this workshop, you'll have an initial scorecard, and the knowledge required to adapt it as required in their workplace.

"The risk manager's measures should be the organisation's, too,” said Tim. “Everyone in your team needs to own those KPIs and work together to meet them.

"We designed the IIRSM course because we know that so many risk professionals or managers with responsibility for managing risks are given KPIs at the start of the year that they'll be expected to report back on. That, for the most part, is our relationship with measurements or indicators.

“Our training will help give you the skills and understanding to best influence those KPIs and deliver on them. You will get an understanding of how to encourage the right behaviours to be successful. It is, as the title suggests, about giving those measurements meaning."

Effective Problem Solving

IIRSM and Tim are running Meaningful Measures alongside their Effective Problem Solving course, on 06 October.

"The course helps you to get to the root cause of problems so you're not just trying to solve with sticking plasters," said Tim. "You will learn about the cyclical process required to ensure problems are dealt with effectively and not repeated.

"The reason we put the Meaningful Measures and Effective Problem Solving courses together, so you can take them on consecutive days, is that, first, you can identify the gaps in your delivery against objectives and then, second, know how to address those gaps and fill them effectively.”

Aligned to our Framework

IIRSM Head of Education Holly Mulvihill-Clark said both courses were designed to align with IIRSM’s Risk Management and Leadership Competence Framework, which outlines the key abilities and behaviour needed to effectively manage risk.

“As an example, we identify Data Management as a key technical area of competence for risk management professionals as it is essential to the management of risk that data is appropriately managed,” she said. “Both courses discuss the importance of using reliable data to make effective decisions and how to measure impact.”

o find out more or to register for Meaningful Measures and Effective Problem Solving, click on the link below. IIRSM member discounts apply, and a 10% discount is automatically applied at checkout for bookings received 3 weeks before course start.

Register or find out more here

* Tim Sismey is the founder of Make Work Work Better (make-work.work), a process and productivity consultancy transforming how organisations approach Mental Health and Wellbeing. His approach is based on Lean techniques and the groundbreaking 'Getting Things Done' productivity method, and is aligned to the ISO 45003 standard for Psychological Health & Safety. He lives in Warwickshire with his wife, two sons and too many records.