When life is uncertain things are unclear, you don’t know what to expect, and you react to things when they happen. So you walk slowly, as if on-egg-shells, testing every step to make sure it is not a hole or the edge of a cliff. Life under uncertainty is a slow process.
This is what it is like for many organizations with their compliance. They are uncertain of their obligations, they don’t know what to expect, and they react when non-conformance happens. So they create more rules to walk slowly, check every step to make sure that everything and everyone stays within the lines. Compliance under uncertainty is also a slow process.
So how does one make progress and move faster?
Some may decide to throw caution to wind and just press ahead hoping for the best. This happens in life and in compliance. This approach appeals to risk takers but perhaps those that like risk too much. Given a chance they will gamble their life and their companies away.
All of these approaches fail to address the root cause which is the lack of knowledge or what is called epistemic uncertainty. If one wants to make progress it is important to contend with this uncertainty. This means identifying risk and then establishing measures to buy-it-down so that it doesn’t slow-you-down.
If you want to stop compliance from slowing your business consider joining The Proactive Certainty Program™. This program helps you move faster by reducing risk so you don’t have to walk as if on-egg-shells any more.
