Here's how you can effectively manage program risks with assertiveness and confidence.

Conduct a comprehensive risk assessment to identify potential risks. Use tools like SWOT analysis, risk matrices, and brainstorming sessions with your team to ensure no risks are overlooked.

Gathering a diverse group of stakeholders to generate a wide range of potential risks through open discussion and idea generation. Conducting interviews with subject matter experts, stakeholders, and team members to gather their insights and perspectives on potential risks. Utilizing pre-existing checklists or templates that list common risks relevant to the specific industry, project type, or organization. Examining internal strengths and weaknesses, as well as external opportunities and threats, to identify potential risks. Investigating past incidents or near-misses to identify underlying causes and potential risks for future events.

Here's how to manage program risks assertively and confidently: 1. Be Proactive, Not Reactive: Identify potential risks early through brainstorming and data analysis. Don't wait for issues to arise. Speak Up with Data & Solutions: Present risks with clear data and propose actionable mitigation strategies. Don't just highlight problems. 2. Collaborate, Don't Dictate: Work with stakeholders to develop risk management plans. Assertiveness isn't about force, but fostering solutions. 3. Communicate Clearly & Regularly: Keep stakeholders informed of risks, mitigation efforts, and progress. Transparency builds trust and confidence. 4. Project Confidence & Expertise: Demonstrate your risk management knowledge and ability to navigate challenges.

Most of the risks under a structured program can be identified through its KPIs - budget and schedule deviation. However, other qualitative ones can be identified - level of engagement, sponsor's perception etc.

assertiveness is an outcome of knowledge. when science and facts + empirical experiences lay in the foundation of the decisions, it is highly unlikely that you get arguments..

Assertiveness: Actively involve stakeholders in identifying and mitigating risks. This fosters a sense of shared ownership and increases buy-in for solutions.

Monitoring and Adapting:Confidence: Regularly track identified risks and their likelihood. Be prepared to adjust your approach based on new information.

Besides prioritizing risks under impact likelihood and ocurrence, is vital to define: - What can we do with each risk: Accept, Mitigate, Transfer the ownership; - Who owns the risk and the action plan related; - Who will follow-up the consolidated risk matrix periodically and report it

Managing risks and implementing solutions is a common part of any program. What makes a difference is: - How well we put risk mitigation solutions into action, ensuring they lead to the right outcomes without causing new risks. - Building a culture where teams constantly think about the right solutions and put them in place ahead of schedule. - The unique advantage is having a team that owns the risks and provides the best solutions. #teamwork always wins.

I suggest using the Kanban model to provide complete visibility on the risks. Also, make sure risks are not only discussed in status meetings. We need to focus continuously on mitigating risks with the right solutions and closely monitor progress. Using digital boards or whiteboards for regular updates will ensure we have 100% attention on monitoring the progress.

Planning a pre-mortem session can help to proactively identify risks, assign owners, and create mitigation plans. This is powerful practice that helped in our Complex Programs. Do explore and surely you will be the winner. The ROAM technique is very powerful for managing risks. Here's what ROAM stands for: Resolved: Risks that have been eliminated or addressed. Owned: Risks that have a clear owner responsible for managing them. Accepted: Risks that the team has decided to accept without further action. Mitigated: Risks that have mitigation plans in place to reduce their impact. Using ROAM, we can categorize and manage risks effectively, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks.