Week7 Chapter9 Risk

Strategy9 Be willing to take the Big Risk

Shackleton's journey from Elephant Island and author's experience in Vietnam are great example of decision making in life-death situation. What was interesting for me was that even though Shackleton was brave and not hesitate to take risks, “he was never foolhardy”(125) at the same time. Through the reading, I recognized that it is always important to understand the risks and carefully evaluate them, then approach them with a thoughtful manner. We have to analyze weather risks are worth taking or not. I think this evaluation process can apply well not only to life-death situation, but also to decision making with risks in work place, school, and our lives. For example, as I mentioned in the class. I took risk to quit Japanese high school to study abroad when I was 16. Even though there was no back-up plan or guarantee to succeed in studying in English and being far from home, I could see potential advantage I could gain through the experience. So I grabed the opportunity! I think this shows my “willingness to take risks in order to promote change”.(136) 

Furthermore, this chapter recalled me reading interesting story about the man named Aron Ralston who cut off his own hand to survive from being stuck in a crevasse in Utah Canyon. The story is unbelievably shocking and his story became a film in 2011. Even though taking risk in this case was for his own survival and not involved leadership skill, I still think his decision of taking huge risk is unbelievably impressive. In the article I read about Aron Ralston by John Henzell, Henzell said that Ralston has always been upbeat about cutting off his hand, variously describing it a “gift” or a “blessing”. His positive attitude towards outcomes of risk taking shows importance of optimism and positive thinking as well.