Strategic risk, early signals and decision quality sit at the center of this conversation with Maartje van Krieken as she speaks to leaders who feel risk piling up while their systems stand still. Where does your business feel most exposed right now and which “surprises” keep landing on your desk even though you sensed them coming? Maartje invites you to look at those patterns with a clearer lens so you can see how uncertainty touches your strategic goals in both directions and choose your bets and concentrations with more intention.
You hear how a focused top risk list creates a shared view of what could move the business, how a light rhythm of risk conversations supports stronger choices and how AI can act as an admin partner that protects your institutional memory. Maartje stresses clear definitions of success, written assumptions and real kill criteria for big bets so sunk cost does not quietly run the show. By the end, strategic risk management feels less like box ticking and more like a core leadership habit that helps you notice early signals, act faster on real opportunities and cut down chaos before it hits.
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Why Strategic Risk Management Prevents 80 Percent Of Business Chaos
02:26 Signs Your Organization Lacks Strategic Risk Management
04:49 Strategic Risk Definition And Data On Failing Risk Practices
07:18 Why Leaders Avoid Explicit Risk Management And Rely On Hope
12:01 Building A Practical Top Risk List For Better Strategic Decisions
16:49 Creating A Regular Risk Review Rhythm With Simple, Powerful Questions
19:04 Defining Success, Assumptions And Kill Criteria For Major Initiatives
21:29 Shifting Culture From Firefighting To Rewarding Early Risk Detection
23:55 Using Leading Indicators And Single Ownership To Spot Risks Early
26:08 Keeping Risk Management Simple So You Reduce Chaos And Capture Opportunity
Connect with Maartje van Krieken:
Connect with Maartje on LinkedIn
Visit The Chaos Games Consulting website
Visit The Business Emergency Room website
Subscribe to The Business Emergency Room on YouTube
Subscribe to Maartje’s Substack
Host Maartje van Krieken is a crisis strategist and decision-making expert who thrives in high-stakes business environments. Combining disaster management training, hands-on experience in global industries, and leadership skills honed as a seasoned sailor, she helps businesses navigate chaos with precision. Whether tackling transformation, scaling challenges, or leadership bottlenecks, Maartje delivers actionable insights to turn turbulence into traction.
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm
