Strategies for Success: Adopting a Can-Do Approach Overcomes Perception of Risk Managers as “No” People

Risk managers must adopt a can-do approach so they are not viewed as the “no” person in their organizations, says Abraham Segres, vice president, quality and patient safety at the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association, Richmond, Virginia. Segres, a former hospital risk manager, spoke during an October 10, 2012, session on critical-thinking skills at the American Society for Healthcare Risk Management annual conference in Washington, DC. “When I became a risk manager, I saw that we were perceived as ‘no’ people.” To counter that perception, Segres would bring people together to look at the implications of various proposals. If there were risks to the project, they would become obvious during the discussion.