Risk Taking Leads to Reward

My Temple University School of Communications & Theater commencement speech was two weeks ago, but the message is still relevant – one I hope the graduates took to heart.

It applies to all of us. That is – you need to believe in yourself, and have the courage to take calculated risks.

Do you remember when you were an elementary school student playing on the jungle gym? In order to get across the bars, you had to be willing to let go of one hand, and place it on the next rung. Drop a hand, grab, drop a hand, grab.

If you aren’t willing to let go -- of old thinking, old behaviors, old habits, you will continually be stuck.

I was asked this question when I was deciding whether to take a risk and launch my own business -- giving up a tenured teaching position at a college -- “What’s the worst that could happen?”

Notice – the word “could” not “would.”

Don’t always think in negative terms. The chances that the worst could happen if you do take a risk are small.

The second question to ask yourself is, “And, then what?”

There will always be a “then what?” What will you do if the risk doesn’t pan out the way you wanted it to?

What are the risks you would like to take?

I encourage you to go for them!

Keep in mind what Thomas Edison said, “If we all did what we are capable of doing, we would literally astonish ourselves.”

By the way, here are the four key ideas that I gave the Temple graduates:

1)Play to your strengths and passion for greater success

2)Market yourself continually and professionally

3)Be open to all possibilities

4)Take calculated risks

My Latest Risks Taken ... Waiting for Results

Well, the marketing flash e-mailers went out, and the PR machine has cranked into high gear, notifying professionals and the media about my new BRODY BOOST Camp -- http://www.brodypro.com/site/boost_camp/Boost_camp.html

There is lots of great feedback about having this event, but, so far, no one has signed up. Remember the risks I spoke about last week?

It’s early yet, and I have found that being an optimist is a good thing. You do your best, and assume that things will work out – most of the time, they do!

So, what else is new?

On Friday, I recorded some audio files for a new venture with SoundWise. Their slogan is “Concise advice to improve your life 24/7.” My material was on networking, presentation skills and women in business.

Check it out – www.SoundWiseonline.com. It’s a real mix of subject matter experts and topics.

And, tomorrow, September 16th, I make my "debut" in Second Life -- the virtual world that has increasing real world applications for leadership and professional development companies like BRODY, and executive coaches like myself.

I will be the guest speaker based on one of my books -- participating in a roundtable discussion titled "Career MAGIC: A Woman's Guide to Reward & Recognition." The event will take place on Athena Isle in Second Life at 3 pm ET -- 12pm PST/SLT.

Second Life residents can attend my book chat by going to: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Athena%20Isle/44/43/23

Here’s my challenge for you all:

What are you doing this week that assumes some risk?

What are you doing that is new and interesting?

A Business Risk I’m About to Take …

For those of you who know me, you know I am a big promoter of risk taking -- In fact, I’ve blogged about it before.

Without risk, you’ve already decided that you will fail. With risk, the chances of success are good.

I have decided to take a big risk, and offer a public seminar – not the typical boot camp stuff – a Boost Camp.

Why is this a risk? Maybe no one will come!

Or, worse yet, only two or three people will be in the large hotel conference room we’ve booked, with breakfast ordered!

Since I am doing this Boost Camp once in October, and once in November, in the Philadelphia area (then will take this on the road), I figure my next five or six blogs will be about this new journey -- and how it's all working out.

That way, you may decide to take a risk yourself – or join me on mine!

Risk-Taking Redux: Getting Started

My post last week encouraged everyone to start taking risks – accepting a new assignment, trying something outside your “comfort zone.”

Risk taking can lead to reward. But, if taking risks is hard for you (or someone you know), it’s OK to begin slowly.

I’ll call this “Risk Taking for DUMMIES” …. Hey, they’re best-sellers after all!

1) First, write down small risks that you would be willing to take.

Here are some suggestions:

•Deliver a presentation to your peers
•Be responsible for a segment of an upcoming corporate or departmental meeting
•Volunteer to serve on a company-wide initiative or taskforce

2) Next, put a deadline date next to the risk you plan to take. Then, ask yourself the questions I posed last week: “What is the worst that can happen?” … and, “Then what?”

3) Then, take the risk. Evaluate how everything turned out.

4) Celebrate the accomplishments – even the smallest steps of growth.

Keep building from taking small to larger risks. Embrace the adage, “Success breeds success.”

Remember your childhood when you were in the playground on the jungle gym? In order to cross to the other side, you needed to let go of one hand, and move it forward to grab the next bar.

That is what I suggest we all do for career-related risks – let go of one hand. Open up to the possibilities. See what you can learn, and contribute.

What’s the Worst That Can Happen? And, Then What?

To risk or not to risk – that is the question. And, it’s a great question to ask.

Throughout our careers, we are faced with opportunities that require some risk-taking.

Some risks that you may already have faced include:

•Relocating
•Switching industries
•Asking for a raise
•Taking a new position

What are some of the things that you need to ask yourself, as future situations arise that require risk?

Here are 3 questions that I always consider before taking a new risk:

1) What is the worst that could happen?
2) What are the odds that it really will happen? (In other words, how often does the worst thing happen)?
3) If the worst DOES happen, then what? For the most part, if you are taking calculated risks, there will always be a “then what?”

Years ago, I had the opportunity to take an early retirement from my job as a college professor -- allowing me to turn my part-time training and coaching business into a full-time venture.

Talk about risks! I was the sole support for my two daughters, and never had worked in business before. I first discussed the situation with my dad – a successful businessman. His response was, “Are you crazy?”

That was not what I wanted to hear.

What I have since learned, over the years, is that it is important to surround yourself with people who are positive. Positive people can still be cautious – but at best, they help you explore all possibilities.

Mark Twain said, “Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.”

Some people are naturally negative – stay away from them! Other people may be overly cautious, even fearful. Their negativity may be fear-based, but don’t buy into these fears.

Of course, I’m not talking about jumping out of a plane without the parachute! Calculated risks are what I’m talking about – and, the bigger the opportunity, the bigger the risk.

Consider this model:

Big risk = big reward -- Probably worth taking
Big risk = small reward – Questionable

The people I know who are most successful in their careers, and are satisfied with their lives, are the ones willing to take risks.

What risk are you willing to take?