According to research by Common Purpose 50% of adults consider themselves to be risk takers and 43% of this group believing the downturn will demand more risk–taking behaviour in organisations.

I’ve never heard a better argument for measuring the soft skills and personal qualities, particularly of senior decision-makers. Risk taking may become more necessary but risk-taking without upside/downside calculation can be damaging. And managers who revel in taking risk s can destroy an organisation. In the present climate such people will find it easier to get their arguments accepted and proposals agreed.

Knowing what your key team are like as people is not a luxury; it gives you a short cut to evaluating their proposals and suggestions, and helps you weed out the ones which could cause terminal havoc.