Telling it like it is

Directness and honesty are admirable, if sometimes absent, qualities in the world of business. However, every once in a while, there is a comment so simple, direct and honest that you have to take it at face value.

Recently, as part of his mission to bring you the fine magazine you hold in your hands, Risky business found himself interviewing a renowned academic and expert on business. He recalled the first time he unveiled his rather controversial, but subsequently accepted, theories to an audience of management consultants.

If you are a management consultant, or the mother of one, you should probably look away now.

“This angry crowd of management consultants, who are seasoned PhDs who’ve been in the trenches for a long time, were yelling at me; standing up in the audience and yelling.”

Relatively tame so far you might think, until: “But management consultants are a bunch of whores who make their living basically going down on executives and telling them how great they are.”

A little abrasive, but a refreshing change from corporate speak, I think you’ll agree.

In hot water

Water shortages are a huge problem in Australia and rightly the issue is taken very seriously. When rain-drenched realms such as the UK are forced to institute hosepipe bans, it is little wonder Australia has a problem.

Luckily for those of us who live in NSW, we have the very capable NSW Government looking after us.

On second thoughts, maybe you should replace the phrase “very capable”with “worryingly incompetent”.

You see, all is not what it should be. The NSW auditor has been poking his auditor-like nose into all things risk management regarding the government’s handling of the issue and his findings, much like Sydney’s water during the 2000 contamination scare, leave a sour taste in the mouth.

According to the auditor’s report, despite the high level of risk and uncertainty associated with the Metropolitan Water Plan 2004, there was no explicit risk management plan in place. While water agencies have made some progress on integrating aspects of planning for Sydney’s water supply, the Metropolitan Water Plan is based on “one specific set of assumptions”, which limit the plan’s effectiveness.

However, the auditor made many recommendations, including – shock, horror – giving the AS/NZS: 4360 Risk Management Standard a read. Might be a good place to start.