2. What can be done to mitigate the adverse impact of risk?
Assume that you want to be part of an international assignment. Make the effort to periodically visit company headquarters, e-mail or call business associates, and participate in highly visible projects. The key is to get noticed instead of deflecting attention away from yourself.
3. How do you increase the odds of success?
Let’s say an opportunity arises for you to lead a global team. Prepare yourself for the role by finding a mentor or advisor who has done the job before and could guide you. Educate yourself on cultural differences in the team. Focus on efficient planning and coordination.
4. What value will the risk add to your career?
Develop a long-term career plan with clearly identified and prioritized goals. This will help you identify which risks you should take, and which ones you can afford to let go of. Focus on risks that will help you achieve your career objectives.
5. How will the outcome of the risk affect your professional brand?
If a risk entails you compromising either your own ethics and values or those of your organization, it’s not worth taking. At the end of the day, your integrity matters more than your professional laurels.
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A career decision is eventually a personal one. What you may consider risky may not be risky for someone else. The trick is to find a balance between the risk “downside” and the reward or opportunity—to thrive on risk. And of course, to open yourself up to learn from each success and failure. Those are the traits of any successful woman.
Author: Shellye Archambeau
Ms. Archambeau is the CEO of MetricStream, a Silicon Valley-based, Governance, Risk, Compliance (GRC) and Quality Management software company that helps companies around the world improve their business performance. Under Ms. Archambeau's leadership, MetricStream has grown into a recognized global market leader with over 1000 employees around the world. The company has been recognized for growth and innovation, and has been consistently named a leader in GRC by leading independent analyst firms.
Ms. Archambeau has proven global business expertise combined with public policy passion. As a member of the board of directors for the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, a nationally recognized organization focused on fostering a cooperative effort between business and government officials to address major public policy issues affecting Silicon Valley, Ms. Archambeau has led initiatives and Washington, DC delegations to address regulatory compliance and improve governance. She served on the Board of Directors, and the Audit and Technology committees for media research company, Arbitron, Inc. [NYSE: ARB] from 2005 until acquired by Nielsen in 2013. She currently serves on the board of directors of Verizon Communications Inc. [NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ], a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services.
Ms. Archambeau is a sought after speaker who has presented on GRC issues around the world to Fortune 500 corporations, members of Congress, and associations including IIA, ISACA, and NASDAQ. Ms. Archambeau is frequently quoted in top-tier media including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Compliance Week, Silicon Valley Business Journal, and currently pens a column on leadership and entrepreneurship for Xconomy. In April 2013, Ms. Archambeau was named the “#2 Most Influential African American in Technology” by Business Insider.
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