Did you catch the article based on the results of a survey by KPMG LLP titled Will Women Take Big Risks?

Although disconcerted by aspects of the Risk, Resilience, Reward survey where 2,000 women were asked about their approach and behavior when it comes to taking risks at work, I was pleased that IndustryWeek published it on their website given that manufacturing companies continue to struggle with attracting women to the field.

Key callouts from the survey:

• Less than half (43%) were open to taking big risks associated with career advancement
• A larger number (69%) were open to taking small risks to further their careers
• Women with less than five years of experience are more willing to take risks, (45%), compared to those with over 15 years experience (37%)
• Race also has its influence with women of color willing to take risks at a higher rate ( 57%) versus white women ( 38%)
• Forty percent of the women said that the opportunity to make more money is a reason to take a risk, however, only 35% said they were confident about asking for a higher salary

Below are five reasons why business leaders shouldn't ignore the cultivation of personal risktaking as a critical factor as they upscale their policies in support of more women taking informed, responsible risk in the workplace. 


1. Risktaking lies between creativity and innovation

Survey data point: less than half [of the surveyed women] (43%) were open to taking big risks associated with career advancement

Risktaking provides the path to innovation. It lies smack dab in the middle between creativity (our brain power) and innovation (the best of our disruptive selves). Risktaking represents the actions we take in pursuing our path to innovation. There's no way getting around it. If we're not disciplined enough to focus on what we envision and not courageous enough to pursue that vision, we limit our ability for personal and professional growth. 

Change Tip: As part of the company's professional development policies, business leaders could upgrade the performance reward structure for high-impact, strategic opportunities, ensuring that any change campaign and communication plan includes live workshops and virtual webinars that target female populations. And don't forget to update existing onboarding and training materials for new hires as well as current employees. 


2. Risktaking builds trust

Survey data point: a larger number [of women] (69%) were open to taking small risks to further their careers

All trust begins with self-trust. When people trust their ability to raise the bar on their terms, they develop and strengthen their self-confidence. Even if the outcome of an endeavor doesn't meet expectations, risktaking builds resilience and perseverance while preparing professionals for pivots and possible setbacks. In the evolving workplaces of the future when colleagues are just as likely to be humans as much as smart robots, the ability to trust and collaborate in new ways will differentiate career professionals in business. 

Change Tip: Support female professionals as they strengthen their risktaking muscles and trust quotient. Meet them where they are today by assessing where they are along the change curve (see below model from the Acuity Institute). The goal is to move them along the path from incremental risk to higher-impact, strategic opportunities.  

I'm excited to begin collaborating with an Articulate Storyline instructional designer who will take my creative vision and the practical aspects of leading and implementing advanced technologies and translate these into an interactive online course.

I'm reluctant to say that this course prepares you for the future, mainly because that would give you a false sense of security about how much time you have to begin the change process.  

That's because the future is upon us. 

We're not talking 20 years from now, but more like 3-5 years when we can expect some real business traction. Of course, this depends on how the economy goes in 2019. We could see automation and smart robotics deployment gather speed or slow way down, even by early AI adopters. A key driver? Labor force vs. automation costs. Take a look at the disruption occurring in the restaurant industry where robots have replaced minimum wage workers and startups include automation as part of their business models.

It is imperative that leaders and professionals include automation and smart robotics in their business strategies and career plans. You want to be well-positioned to take advantage of opportunities that could pop up "out of the blue". Preparation is key.

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I often get questions from people who want to know the role that change leaders play as part of a project team or when they're involved in the launch of a new product. Although these are certainly key areas supported by change managers, their role can, and is often, more than that. 

As an organizational change leader I pride myself on being equal parts optimist, pragmatist and futurist, leveraging the elements associated with these areas into whatever I'm tackling, whether it's facilitating a strategy planning session or bridging executives' visions with the practicality of bringing  their visions to fruition. 

In other words, change managers wear many hats! We focus on the obvious aspects of what is in play today, but we also look for the undercurrents of future change. 

This infographic helps you map out what change leaders can do for you. 

There's a link at the bottom of the page to download a copy of this report.