Risktory: The Story Of Risk

Coming up on this week’s episode, a story of resilience and reinvention, courtesy of IBM. In 1984, IBM was the King of the Computing world. Where other competitors, such as Apple, constructed and built each hardware component, and wrote every line of software for their computers, IBM innovated a competitive advantage where they would buy hardware components, assemble said components, and ship its computers with Microsoft Windows pre-loaded. What IBM did was innovative, clever…. and it catapulted them to the top of the IT food chain.Unfortunately for IBM, their advantage was not to last. Once competitors – such as Dell - figured out what IBM were doing, they not only copied IBM’s business model. They did it better and, very rapidly, eroded IBM’s market dominance. In 1993, IBM posted what was then corporate America’s biggest ever loss of $8 billion dollars.What did IBM do? It reinvented. Just as it had done before, but this time with a focus on building an operating model that would be truly resilient.

Coming up on this week’s episode, it’s time for a listener request. Long time listener, Joseph, has asked me to look at the Great Train Robbery of August 8 1963. Robberies and heists are great learning opportunities for risk practitioners. Not because I want you all to go out and steal, don’t get me wrong. They are great learning opportunities because they exemplify the balance needed in good risk management: the balance between defending against threat but also chasing opportunity.In this week’s episode, I’ll explore how fifteen men stole an astronomical 2.6 million pounds from a Royal Mail train travelling from Glasgow in Scotland to London, England. And how they all very nearly, got away with it.Just as an interesting historical aside. The son of gang member, Bruce Reynolds, Nick, would go on to become a musician, forming a band, Alabama 3, who penned the song ‘Woke Up This Morning’. A song that would become the opening theme song of long running drama, The Sopranos.The Risktory Podcast is created, w

Coming up on this week’s double episode, I am going to explore the emergence of punk. If any of you have listened to the September Risktorian of the Month episode, my guest Emily Westmore, talked about how punk was, quote ‘beyond definition’ end quote, which allowed for it to be a disruptive and, with the influence of Malcolm McLaren, become an all conquering force in a world of music that had become stale and predictable.On this week’s double episode, I’ll explore the genesis of punk, the roots of its creation, and how the vision held by disruptor Malcolm McLaren molded a movement beyond definition into something truly special.The Risktory Podcast is created, written, produced and hosted by Jacinthe A Galpin.Soundtrack (sourced from www.freemusicarchive.org)Podington Bear - Elephants on ParadeAlan Spiljak – CloudsAlan Spiljak – ForgottenAlan Spiljak – Light BlueAlan Spiljak – Empty DaysAlan Spiljak – Stars AboveAlan Spiljak – Not the EndAlan Spiljak - SunBibliographyhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/36682

Coming up on this week’s double episode, I am going to explore the emergence of punk. If any of you have listened to the September Risktorian of the Month episode, my guest Emily Westmore, talked about how punk was, quote ‘beyond definition’ end quote, which allowed for it to be a disruptive and, with the influence of Malcolm McLaren, become an all conquering force in a world of music that had become stale and predictable.On this week’s double episode, I’ll explore the genesis of punk, the roots of its creation, and how the vision held by disruptor Malcolm McLaren molded a movement beyond definition into something truly special.The Risktory Podcast is created, written, produced and hosted by Jacinthe A Galpin.Soundtrack (sourced from www.freemusicarchive.org)Podington Bear - Elephants on ParadeAlan Spiljak – CloudsAlan Spiljak – ForgottenAlan Spiljak – Light BlueAlan Spiljak – Empty DaysAlan Spiljak – Stars AboveAlan Spiljak – Not the EndAlan Spiljak - SunBibliographyhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/36682

Coming up on this week’s episode, I will be exploring the 1972 Munich Massacre. On September 5 1972, during the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany, Palestinian militants, took eleven Israeli Olympic team members hostage, sparking off a crisis that ended in the death of all Israelis, 5 militants, and one German police officer.The Munich Massacre was an archetypal Black Swan in that: a) it was a surprise; b) it was a catastrophic event and c) in hindsight, it was entirely preventable. On this week’s episode, I’ll take you through the timeline of events, the mistakes made, and the lessons learned from the Munich Massacre.The Risktory Podcast is created, written and produced by Jacinthe A Galpin.Soundtrack (sourced from www.freemusicarchive.org)Podington Bear - Elephants on ParadeAlan Spiljak – CloudsAlan Spiljak – ForgottenAlan Spiljak – Light BlueAlan Spiljak – Empty DaysAlan Spiljak – Stars AboveAlan Spiljak – Not the EndAlan Spiljak – SunAlan Spiljak – Fantasy in My MindBibliographyhttps://www.bri

Coming up on this week’s episode, I will be looking at the birth of Amazon, the internet juggernaut that redefined how we – as consumers – purchase in 2019. The origin story of Amazon is one of perpetual forward motion: through a mix of both incremental improvement and strategic leaps of faith. It’s truly incredible.In this week’s episode, I’ll explore how it all began in 1994, when Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s founder, ignited his ‘regret minimization framework’ and how he never, once, looked back. The Risktory Podcast is created, written and produced by Jacinthe A Galpin.Soundtrack (sourced from www.freemusicarchive.org)Podington Bear - Elephants on ParadeAlan Spiljak – CloudsAlan Spiljak – ForgottenAlan Spiljak – Light BlueAlan Spiljak – Empty DaysAlan Spiljak – Stars AboveAlan Spiljak – Not the EndAlan Spiljak – SunAlan Spiljak – Fantasy in My MindBibliographyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Bezoshttps://www.biography.com/business-figure/jeff-bezoshttps://www.fundable.com/learn/startup-stories/amazonhttps://

Coming up today, it’s the September Risktorian of the month. One of the most common requests I have had, since starting the podcast, is to explore how every one of us can utilize risk in our day to day life.This month’s Risktorian – Emily Westmore - is someone who has changed industries, roles and functions multiple times over their career. She has taken leaps of faith, even when the future was utterly and completely uncertain. Emily is articulate, intelligent and one of the funniest people I’ve ever met… and a person who – perhaps unknowingly – is a risk management expert.The Risktory Podcast is created, written and produced by Jacinthe A Galpin.Soundtrack (sourced from www.freemusicarchive.org)Podington Bear - Elephants on Parade

Coming up on this week’s episode, I am going to look at the collapse of Ansett Airlines, an airline that was, at the time of its collapse in September 2001, Australia’s second largest carrier. 16,000 employees out of work and, on the day of the collapse itself, 47,000 passengers stranded across the country.The collapse of Ansett is what happens when external and internal threats collide in a perfect storm, setting off a maelstrom of events that forced a fundamental restructure of Australia’s aviation industry. The Risktory Podcast is created, written and produced by Jacinthe A Galpin.Soundtrack (sourced from www.freemusicarchive.org)Podington Bear - Elephants on ParadeAlan Spiljak – Light BlueAlan Spiljak – Flying AwayAlan Spiljak – TimeAlan Spiljak – Fantasy In My MindAlan Spiljak – Not The EndAlan Spiljak – SunBibliographyhttps://simpleflying.com/ansett-australia-history/https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/after-ansett-161150/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ansett_Australiahttps://www.tandfonline.com/d

Coming up on this week’s episode, something a little different. We know that necessity is the mother of invention. If that’s true – and I think it is – risk is the vehicle and driver that makes invention possible. This week, I’ll explore inventions – from ancient modern to our modern times in 2019 – that amplify the role of risk management in human evolution. This is a super fun look at the amazing propensity of humans to evolve when faced with the unknown.The Risktory Podcast is created, written and produced by Jacinthe A Galpin.Soundtrack (sourced from www.freemusicarchive.org)Podington Bear - Elephants on ParadeAlan Spiljak – CloudsAlan Spiljak – ForgottenAlan Spiljak – Light BlueAlan Spiljak – Empty DaysAlan Spiljak – Stars AboveAlan Spiljak – Not the EndAlan Spiljak - SunBibliographyhttps://interestingengineering.com/19-great-inventions-that-revolutionized-historyhttps://bigthink.com/paul-ratner/top-20-greatest-inventions-of-all-timehttps://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2013/11/innovations-lis

Coming up this week, a double episode looking at the eccentric, charismatic and opportunistic figure that was…. Grigori Rasputin. Born a peasant in the Siberian wilderness, Rasputin expertly grasped opportunity to become one of, if not the, most powerful man in Russia. In this double episode, I’ll explore Rasputin’s life, how he rose to power and prominence by being in the right place at the right time, and how his life was cut short by those who feared that the master opportunist had gone one step too far and burned one bridge too many.Part 1 will be released on Monday September 9. Part 2 will be released on Thursday September 12.The Risktory Podcast is created, written and produced by Jacinthe A Galpin.Soundtrack (sourced from www.freemusicarchive.org)Podington Bear - Elephants on ParadeAlan Spiljak – CloudsAlan Spiljak – ForgottenAlan Spiljak – Light BlueAlan Spiljak – Empty DaysAlan Spiljak – Stars AboveAlan Spiljak – Not the EndAlan Spiljak - SunBibliographyhttps://www.biography.com/political-figure/r

Coming up this week, a double episode looking at the eccentric, charismatic and opportunistic figure that was…. Grigori Rasputin. Born a peasant in the Siberian wilderness, Rasputin expertly grasped opportunity to become one of, if not the, most powerful man in Russia. In this double episode, I’ll explore Rasputin’s life, how he rose to power and prominence by being in the right place at the right time, and how his life was cut short by those who feared that the master opportunist had gone one step too far and burned one bridge too many.Part 1 will be released on Monday September 9. Part 2 will be released on Thursday September 12.The Risktory Podcast is created, written and produced by Jacinthe A Galpin.Soundtrack (sourced from www.freemusicarchive.org)Podington Bear - Elephants on ParadeAlan Spiljak – CloudsAlan Spiljak – ForgottenAlan Spiljak – Light BlueAlan Spiljak – Empty DaysAlan Spiljak – Stars AboveAlan Spiljak – Not the EndAlan Spiljak - SunBibliographyhttps://www.biography.com/political-figure/r

Coming up on this week’s episode, an episode inspired by a recent vacation. I was in Charleston a few weeks ago with my sons, and we spent an afternoon at the Boone Plantation, located in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. While there, I learned about the 54th Regiment, an all African-American regiment formed – as part of the Union Army - to take on the Confederate states during the American Civil War.The story of the 54th Regiment is incredibly inspiring from a human perspective. From a risk perspective, this is a story of opportunity grasped by a group of free men determined to see their African-American brothers and sisters released from the tyranny of slavery. A chance for them to see justice served, backed by the might of the Union Army.The emergence and eventual prominence of the 54th Regiment, and their unassailable place in the history books, is what the discipline of risk management was invented for. The Risktory Podcast is created, written and produced by Jacinthe A Galpin.Soundtrack (sourced from

On this Risktorian of the Month episode, I chat with an entrepreneurial juggernaut in Vanessa Vaughn Mathews, of Asfalis Advisors (https://www.asfalisadvisors.com/)The Risktory Podcast is created, written and produced by Jacinthe A Galpin.Soundtrack Credits (sourced from www.freemusicarchive.org).Podington Bear - Elephants on Parade

Coming up on this week’s episode, an episode inspired by John Greaves, July’s Risktorian of the Month (link below to that episode). Next week, I will be exploring Operation Pastorious. Operation Pastorious was a Nazi plot to attack American economic targets – including critical infrastructure - during World War 2, as a means of disrupting and, ultimately, destroying the American war effort.This is a cracking tale from the past that exemplifies a concept that, Christian Hunt, the May Risktorian of the Month (link below to that episode), calls human risk. The German plan was solid with multiple layers of defense that had been carefully curated to succeed even when compromised. The one variable the Germans had not countenanced, or planned for, was the behavior of humans. Not factoring human behavior into their planning proved to be an achilles heel.This week’s episode will explore the idea that you can have the best risk processes, structures and systems in place, but if you ignore the behavior of humans wh

On this week’s episode, an exploration into the mind of an opportunist, John Dudley, the Duke of Northumberland. In July 1553, Northumberland took advantage of a risk vacuum to place Lady Jane Grey, his daughter in law, on the English throne, making her England’s first queen.I often speak on the podcast about opportunists and disruptors but, while I’ve dedicated a number of episodes to the disruptors – Edison, Tesla, Apgar, Parks, Bonaparte – I’ve never dedicated an episode to the wily, devious and always entertaining chess masters that are the pure opportunists. Until now.On this week’s episode, I explore how Dudley was able to position Lady Jane Grey to become Queen, how he was able to almost effortlessly master a political landscape more volatile than a south American dictatorship, and how he – eventually – came undone, and lost his head.The Risktory Podcast is created, written and produced by Jacinthe A Galpin.Soundtrack (sourced from www.freemusicarchive.org)Podington Bear - Elephants on ParadeAlan Spi

On this week’s double episode, I look at the 1993 Waco Siege. The Waco Siege started with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (the ATF) attempting to serve a search warrant on a religious sect, the Branch Davidians (the ATF suspected the sect had been stockpiling illegal weapons), and it ended – 51 days later – with the deaths of 4 ATF agents and 82 Branch Davidians.There’s a lot to unpack in the Waco Siege. I could probably do a whole month’s worth of episodes on the topic and still not get bored. In this week’s double episode, I’ll explore how the siege unfolded, the responses of both sides to risk (both threat and opportunity), and I’ll examine how risk misunderstood can end in absolute, preventable tragedy.The Risktory Podcast is created, written and produced by Jacinthe A Galpin.Soundtrack (sourced from www.freemusicarchive.org)Podington Bear - Elephants on ParadeAlan Spiljak – CloudsAlan Spiljak – ForgottenAlan Spiljak – Light BlueAlan Spiljak – Empty DaysAlan Spiljak – Stars AboveAlan Spiljak

On this week’s double episode, I look at the 1993 Waco Siege. The Waco Siege started with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (the ATF) attempting to serve a search warrant on a religious sect, the Branch Davidians (the ATF suspected the sect had been stockpiling illegal weapons), and it ended – 51 days later – with the deaths of 4 ATF agents and 82 Branch Davidians.There’s a lot to unpack in the Waco Siege. I could probably do a whole month’s worth of episodes on the topic and still not get bored. In this week’s double episode, I’ll explore how the siege unfolded, the responses of both sides to risk (both threat and opportunity), and I’ll examine how risk misunderstood can end in absolute, preventable tragedy.The Risktory Podcast is created, written and produced by Jacinthe A Galpin.Soundtrack (sourced from www.freemusicarchive.org)Podington Bear - Elephants on ParadeAlan Spiljak – CloudsAlan Spiljak – ForgottenAlan Spiljak – Light BlueAlan Spiljak – Empty DaysAlan Spiljak – Stars AboveAlan Spiljak

On this week’s episode, I look at the 1995 Chicago Heatwave and the impacts of mass realization of mass critical risk. This is an episode that mixes history and technical risk expertise.The Risktory Podcast is created, written and produced by Jacinthe A Galpin.Soundtrack for this week's episode (sourced from www.freemusicarchive.org)Podington Bear - Elephants on ParadeAlan Spiljak – CloudsAlan Spiljak – ForgottenAlan Spiljak – Light BlueAlan Spiljak – Empty DaysAlan Spiljak – Stars AboveAlan Spiljak – Not the EndAlan Spiljak - SunSources for this week’s episodehttps://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/July-2015/1995-Chicago-heat-wave/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-chicago-heat-wave-20-years-later-met-20150715-story.htmlhttps://www.adaptny.org/2016/07/21/case-study-deadly-chicago-heat-wave-of-1995/Heat Wave - A social autopsy of disaster in Chicago – Eric KlinenbergCooked: Survival by Zip Code – Judith HelfandCook County Medical Examiner Archives

On this Risktorian of the Month episode, I chat with THE man for infrastructure risk, John Greaves.The Risktory Podcast is created, written and produced by Jacinthe A Galpin.Soundtrack Credits (sourced from www.freemusicarchive.org).Podington Bear - Elephants on ParadeWelcome to the Jungle used under Fair Use Provisions.

On this week's episode, it's an examination of infrastructure risk, courtesy of the 1998 Longford Gas Explosion.The Risktory Podcast is created, written and produced by Jacinthe A Galpin.Soundtrack Credits (sourced from www.freemusicarchive.org).Podington Bear - Elephants on ParadeAlan Spiljak - SunAlan Spiljak - Not the endAlan Spiljak - Flying AwayAlan Spiljak - Stars AboveAlan Spiljak - Forgotten