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Enterprise Risk Management | Thomas H. Stanton | TEDxJHUDC


[Applause]

[Applause] that’s right

that’s right

that’s right thank you we live in an increasingly

thank you we live in an increasingly

thank you we live in an increasingly complex world and one of the results of

complex world and one of the results of

complex world and one of the results of that complexity is that a number of

that complexity is that a number of

that complexity is that a number of organizations are surprised when risks

organizations are surprised when risks

organizations are surprised when risks emerge that actually take them down on

emerge that actually take them down on

emerge that actually take them down on the private sector side you can think of

the private sector side you can think of

the private sector side you can think of the BP Gulf oil spill where complexities

the BP Gulf oil spill where complexities

the BP Gulf oil spill where complexities led to a huge disaster in the Gulf of

led to a huge disaster in the Gulf of

led to a huge disaster in the Gulf of Mexico you can think of the GM ignition

Mexico you can think of the GM ignition

Mexico you can think of the GM ignition switch problem and in those cases of

switch problem and in those cases of

switch problem and in those cases of course people fire the CEOs they fire

course people fire the CEOs they fire

course people fire the CEOs they fire people companies are hurt seriously in

people companies are hurt seriously in

people companies are hurt seriously in the case of the Takata airbags you may

the case of the Takata airbags you may

the case of the Takata airbags you may actually see a company go out of

actually see a company go out of

actually see a company go out of business on the government side you see

business on the government side you see

business on the government side you see the same problem the Veterans

the same problem the Veterans

the same problem the Veterans Administration had a series of Veterans

Administration had a series of Veterans

Administration had a series of Veterans Hospitals and it turned out that over

Hospitals and it turned out that over

Hospitals and it turned out that over stretched hospitals have long wait times

stretched hospitals have long wait times

stretched hospitals have long wait times but the head of the VA had let it be

but the head of the VA had let it be

but the head of the VA had let it be known he didn’t want to hear about long

known he didn’t want to hear about long

known he didn’t want to hear about long wait times he wanted to hear that

wait times he wanted to hear that

wait times he wanted to hear that everybody was being dealt with within

everybody was being dealt with within

everybody was being dealt with within two weeks so if you tell me that’s what

two weeks so if you tell me that’s what

two weeks so if you tell me that’s what I got to say that’s what I’ll say and it

I got to say that’s what I’ll say and it

I got to say that’s what I’ll say and it turned out that VA hospitals in fact had

turned out that VA hospitals in fact had

turned out that VA hospitals in fact had such long wait times that veterans were

such long wait times that veterans were

such long wait times that veterans were dying before they got their health care

dying before they got their health care

dying before they got their health care and when that finally came to light once

and when that finally came to light once

and when that finally came to light once again they fired the secretary they

again they fired the secretary they

again they fired the secretary they fired people down the organization and

fired people down the organization and

fired people down the organization and Congress started to do surgery on civil

Congress started to do surgery on civil

Congress started to do surgery on civil service protections in the VA the same

service protections in the VA the same

service protections in the VA the same thing happened with the IRS where people

thing happened with the IRS where people

thing happened with the IRS where people were looking at exempt organizations and

were looking at exempt organizations and

were looking at exempt organizations and decided not very bright to look at

decided not very bright to look at

decided not very bright to look at organizations that all had the name Tea

organizations that all had the name Tea

organizations that all had the name Tea Party in it when that came to light the

Party in it when that came to light the

Party in it when that came to light the resulting explosion led to firing people

resulting explosion led to firing people

resulting explosion led to firing people from top of the organization down and

from top of the organization down and

from top of the organization down and Congress again did surgery on the ir

Congress again did surgery on the ir

Congress again did surgery on the ir the common element and all of this is

the common element and all of this is

the common element and all of this is the people at the top sit there thinking

the people at the top sit there thinking

the people at the top sit there thinking that everything is great and if you were

that everything is great and if you were

that everything is great and if you were to talk to people down in the

to talk to people down in the

to talk to people down in the organization what you’d find is gee we

organization what you’d find is gee we

organization what you’d find is gee we got problems we got problems but there

got problems we got problems but there

got problems we got problems but there seems to be a layer of cork that stops

seems to be a layer of cork that stops

seems to be a layer of cork that stops the information from rising from the

the information from rising from the

the information from rising from the bottom to the top I first learned about

bottom to the top I first learned about

bottom to the top I first learned about this when I was on the staff of the

this when I was on the staff of the

this when I was on the staff of the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission and

Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission and

Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission and we would have all these officials from

we would have all these officials from

we would have all these officials from failed companies telling us how nobody

failed companies telling us how nobody

failed companies telling us how nobody could foresee the drop in housing prices

could foresee the drop in housing prices

could foresee the drop in housing prices well it turned out in the midst of all

well it turned out in the midst of all

well it turned out in the midst of all the companies that failed there were a

the companies that failed there were a

the companies that failed there were a number of companies that navigated the

number of companies that navigated the

number of companies that navigated the crisis and I began to understand the

crisis and I began to understand the

crisis and I began to understand the difference between successful companies

difference between successful companies

difference between successful companies and unsuccessful companies and the

and unsuccessful companies and the

and unsuccessful companies and the answer in my mind had to do with

answer in my mind had to do with

answer in my mind had to do with information flow that in the successful

information flow that in the successful

information flow that in the successful companies you had a flow of information

companies you had a flow of information

companies you had a flow of information from bottom to top and top to bottom and

from bottom to top and top to bottom and

from bottom to top and top to bottom and across the silos so the Baron’s would

across the silos so the Baron’s would

across the silos so the Baron’s would talk to each other so in in JP Morgan

talk to each other so in in JP Morgan

talk to each other so in in JP Morgan Chase all of a sudden their mortgage

Chase all of a sudden their mortgage

Chase all of a sudden their mortgage side realized that they were having

side realized that they were having

side realized that they were having serious delinquencies and the news

serious delinquencies and the news

serious delinquencies and the news immediately went up to the operating

immediately went up to the operating

immediately went up to the operating committee at the very top of this multi

committee at the very top of this multi

committee at the very top of this multi trillion dollar organization and there

trillion dollar organization and there

trillion dollar organization and there was a food fight among the executives

was a food fight among the executives

was a food fight among the executives what’s going on here and they realized

what’s going on here and they realized

what’s going on here and they realized their delinquencies were better than

their delinquencies were better than

their delinquencies were better than their competitors delinquencies so the

their competitors delinquencies so the

their competitors delinquencies so the instructions went down get rid of

instructions went down get rid of

instructions went down get rid of subprime mortgages and that was in

subprime mortgages and that was in

subprime mortgages and that was in October of oh six well before the crisis

October of oh six well before the crisis

October of oh six well before the crisis the same thing happened with Goldman

the same thing happened with Goldman

the same thing happened with Goldman Sachs in December of oh six where

Sachs in December of oh six where

Sachs in December of oh six where somebody reported the head of their

somebody reported the head of their

somebody reported the head of their mortgage desk reported that they where

mortgage desk reported that they where

mortgage desk reported that they where their models said they were supposed to

their models said they were supposed to

their models said they were supposed to make money for two weeks they had lost

make money for two weeks they had lost

make money for two weeks they had lost money immediately the news went up and

money immediately the news went up and

money immediately the news went up and Goldman hedged their subprime portfolio

Goldman hedged their subprime portfolio

Goldman hedged their subprime portfolio those were the successful companies so

those were the successful companies so

those were the successful companies so the lessons I took for them from that

the lessons I took for them from that

the lessons I took for them from that or that information flow is essential

or that information flow is essential

or that information flow is essential but also warning signs or the air if you

but also warning signs or the air if you

but also warning signs or the air if you look at the post-mortem on the BP Gulf

look at the post-mortem on the BP Gulf

look at the post-mortem on the BP Gulf oil spill or on Massey mining where 29

oil spill or on Massey mining where 29

oil spill or on Massey mining where 29 miners were killed or any number of

miners were killed or any number of

miners were killed or any number of disasters the NASA Space Shuttle

disasters the NASA Space Shuttle

disasters the NASA Space Shuttle disasters

disasters

disasters it is so clear in retrospect that

it is so clear in retrospect that

it is so clear in retrospect that there’s a problem Enterprise Risk

there’s a problem Enterprise Risk

there’s a problem Enterprise Risk Management is a way to deal with that

Management is a way to deal with that

Management is a way to deal with that and it asks a simple question what are

and it asks a simple question what are

and it asks a simple question what are the major risks that could stop us from

the major risks that could stop us from

the major risks that could stop us from achieving our mission and the whole

achieving our mission and the whole

achieving our mission and the whole point is you want to look at the big

point is you want to look at the big

point is you want to look at the big risks government particularly but also

risks government particularly but also

risks government particularly but also the private sector are always distracted

the private sector are always distracted

the private sector are always distracted by all these little risks that they’re

by all these little risks that they’re

by all these little risks that they’re worried about that they tie up in red

worried about that they tie up in red

worried about that they tie up in red tape and in fact what you want to look

tape and in fact what you want to look

tape and in fact what you want to look at are the really big risks and if you

at are the really big risks and if you

at are the really big risks and if you can build that into your culture you can

can build that into your culture you can

can build that into your culture you can have a much more robust capacity to

have a much more robust capacity to

have a much more robust capacity to understand the vulnerabilities that

understand the vulnerabilities that

understand the vulnerabilities that you’re otherwise going to run into

you’re otherwise going to run into

you’re otherwise going to run into without appreciating them so one of the

without appreciating them so one of the

without appreciating them so one of the failed companies and the financial

failed companies and the financial

failed companies and the financial crisis the chief credit officer went to

crisis the chief credit officer went to

crisis the chief credit officer went to his executive vice president and said we

his executive vice president and said we

his executive vice president and said we got problems we’re not pricing for the

got problems we’re not pricing for the

got problems we’re not pricing for the mortgages were buying and the executive

mortgages were buying and the executive

mortgages were buying and the executive vice president said how come you’re the

vice president said how come you’re the

vice president said how come you’re the only person in the company who believes

only person in the company who believes

only person in the company who believes in your models well that was really

in your models well that was really

in your models well that was really stupid by the way the chief credit

stupid by the way the chief credit

stupid by the way the chief credit officer is still there and the executive

officer is still there and the executive

officer is still there and the executive vice president is long gone but in the

vice president is long gone but in the

vice president is long gone but in the case of goldman sachs when we

case of goldman sachs when we

case of goldman sachs when we interviewed the head of the mortgage

interviewed the head of the mortgage

interviewed the head of the mortgage desk we said why did you report the bad

desk we said why did you report the bad

desk we said why did you report the bad news to the top and he said part of my

news to the top and he said part of my

news to the top and he said part of my job is to make sure that the people at

job is to make sure that the people at

job is to make sure that the people at the top of the organization know what

the top of the organization know what

the top of the organization know what they need to know to make good decisions

they need to know to make good decisions

they need to know to make good decisions and that was a successful company so

and that was a successful company so

and that was a successful company so what you need to make enterprise risk

what you need to make enterprise risk

what you need to make enterprise risk management work is first of all support

management work is first of all support

management work is first of all support from the top

from the top

from the top I’ve just been inserted into a

I’ve just been inserted into a

I’ve just been inserted into a government agency actually about six

government agency actually about six

government agency actually about six months ago was supportive and under

months ago was supportive and under

months ago was supportive and under secretary

secretary

secretary and she had us gather all of the senior

and she had us gather all of the senior

and she had us gather all of the senior executives and talked to them talk about

executives and talked to them talk about

executives and talked to them talk about the big risks and what you’ve got to do

the big risks and what you’ve got to do

the big risks and what you’ve got to do is overcome the tendency of barons to

is overcome the tendency of barons to

is overcome the tendency of barons to say there are no risks I run a good

say there are no risks I run a good

say there are no risks I run a good department and instead to understand

department and instead to understand

department and instead to understand everybody’s got risks we’re not blaming

everybody’s got risks we’re not blaming

everybody’s got risks we’re not blaming you what we want to do is solve problems

you what we want to do is solve problems

you what we want to do is solve problems and if we can hear about these risks

and if we can hear about these risks

and if we can hear about these risks early we can deal with them before

early we can deal with them before

early we can deal with them before rather than after something bad happens

rather than after something bad happens

rather than after something bad happens in the earlier you hear about it the

in the earlier you hear about it the

in the earlier you hear about it the easier it is to deal with an emerging

easier it is to deal with an emerging

easier it is to deal with an emerging risk and what we did over time was

risk and what we did over time was

risk and what we did over time was infuse the culture of the organization

infuse the culture of the organization

infuse the culture of the organization so people understood we’re not playing

so people understood we’re not playing

so people understood we’re not playing gotcha what we’re trying to do is help

gotcha what we’re trying to do is help

gotcha what we’re trying to do is help you solve problems that otherwise may be

you solve problems that otherwise may be

you solve problems that otherwise may be too big for you and by the way we’re all

too big for you and by the way we’re all

too big for you and by the way we’re all in this together in today’s complex

in this together in today’s complex

in this together in today’s complex world with the kind of reputational risk

world with the kind of reputational risk

world with the kind of reputational risk that beset Sall organizations were all

that beset Sall organizations were all

that beset Sall organizations were all in this together

in this together

in this together and we had better work on it together so

and we had better work on it together so

and we had better work on it together so that’s Enterprise Risk Management and I

that’s Enterprise Risk Management and I

that’s Enterprise Risk Management and I really hope you look into it because it

really hope you look into it because it

really hope you look into it because it is a really powerful management tool I’d

is a really powerful management tool I’d

is a really powerful management tool I’d like to finish with one of the actually

like to finish with one of the actually

like to finish with one of the actually the best quote from the whole Financial

the best quote from the whole Financial

the best quote from the whole Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission study and

Crisis Inquiry Commission study and

Crisis Inquiry Commission study and that’s from a guy named John Reed who

that’s from a guy named John Reed who

that’s from a guy named John Reed who was head of Citigroup back in 2000 and

was head of Citigroup back in 2000 and

was head of Citigroup back in 2000 and was eased out at that point before

was eased out at that point before

was eased out at that point before Citigroup got into all of its trouble

Citigroup got into all of its trouble

Citigroup got into all of its trouble and he asked the question why does a car

and he asked the question why does a car

and he asked the question why does a car have brakes a car has brakes so it can

have brakes a car has brakes so it can

have brakes a car has brakes so it can go fast if you didn’t have brakes

go fast if you didn’t have brakes

go fast if you didn’t have brakes you’d creep around at two miles an hour

you’d creep around at two miles an hour

you’d creep around at two miles an hour if you’ve got brakes you understand what

if you’ve got brakes you understand what

if you’ve got brakes you understand what the problems are and you can really go

the problems are and you can really go

the problems are and you can really go forward at 65 miles an hour and the

forward at 65 miles an hour and the

forward at 65 miles an hour and the whole point of enterprise risk

whole point of enterprise risk

whole point of enterprise risk management is not to create another

management is not to create another

management is not to create another layer of bureaucracy but rather to have

layer of bureaucracy but rather to have

layer of bureaucracy but rather to have your chief risk officer facilitate the

your chief risk officer facilitate the

your chief risk officer facilitate the conversations and then the discussions

conversations and then the discussions

conversations and then the discussions about priorities

about priorities

about priorities one of the really big risks we’ve got a

one of the really big risks we’ve got a

one of the really big risks we’ve got a grapple with it’s a very powerful

grapple with it’s a very powerful

grapple with it’s a very powerful management tool and I hope you all have

management tool and I hope you all have

management tool and I hope you all have a chance to take a look thank you

a chance to take a look thank you

a chance to take a look thank you [Applause]

”

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