Category: Risk Mitigation

Clickbait Redux

We are offered the world at the tip of our fingers, But!  There are many prices to pay.  Theft by scam simply by clicking on a great opportunity is getting more sophisticated all the time. Recently, this pundit was offered a once in a lifetime possibility if only I would listen to an MS Office

Read More »

Are We There Yet?

Who among us have not uttered these words as a child or for those who are parents heard them?  Usually in the context of a trip in an automobile, but perhaps now in our journey to the next . . . Society is on a number of interconnected journeys.  Most visible is the Covid-19 transit

Read More »

I Didn’t Do It, He Did — I Didn’t Do It Either, Someone Else Did

“When converted into productive thought and action, the energy it takes to blame, shame, and game is enough to launch anyone into heights of real success and happiness.”  – Charles F Glassman Entrée It is not often that an entire geographically LARGE state loses power and water simultaneously.  Now we know it can happen!  Welcome

Read More »

Covid-19 Positive: Telemedicine Kicked into High Gear

Crisis Drives Change In 2001 this writer approached the Houston medical community, post tropical storm Allison which flooded many basements in the Houston Medical Center with the loss of experimental data and other records.  We proposed the development of an Internet based solution to hold and manage medical records of all types.  The response to

Read More »

How Dare You!!

Lessons in Leadership—how dare you put young people in jeopardy for loss of life or failures they will live with the rest of their life? As we end Veteran’s Week, we are reminded of President Herbert Hoover’s comment, “Older men declare war.  But it is the youth that must fight and die.”  Hoover was president

Read More »

Radar: Technology Game Changer!

The battle of Leyte Gulf in 1944 with over 200,000 individuals involved is possibly the largest naval battle in history.  Hopefully, one of the last ones. In that battle, the submarine USS Darter initially detected (on radar) the Japanese task force early on October 23.  Other US naval vessels spotted that armada shortly thereafter on

Read More »
man with burning stick while moving in darkness

Agility, Resiliency, Sustainability

In a recent Harvard Business Review, I was struck by an article about Best Practices for small businesses.  From that piece, “To successfully navigate Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous (VUCA) challenges like Covid-19, family business leaders can look to best practices from another organization that specializes in VUCA situations—the U.S. military’s Special Operations Forces (SOF)”

Read More »

Disrupting Disruption!

Let me understate, ‘working in the petroleum sector has always been challenging.’  Now we find ourselves in a major economic downturn caused by a Covid-19 pandemic and aided and abetted by an international crude oil price war. Once again, many thousands have lost their livelihood and possibly not return to a similar job as the

Read More »
fractal

To KISS or Not?

According to legend, the term KISS or ‘Keep It Simple, Stupid’ was coined by Kelly Johnson, lead engineer at the Lockheed Skunk Works and noted by the US Navy as early as 1960.  Subsequent phrases such as ‘Less is More’ followed. At first glance, it makes sense not to overly complicate a product, process or

Read More »

Hanging App?

By one measure, the US presidential primary season is off to a rough start.  In a small state, counting the ballots became a challenge.  Wasn’t technology supposed to solve the problems of past confusions? Yet the mechanism seemingly failed—again!  How is this different from the Boeing Max 8 disaster?  In one sense it isn’t. Disclaimer: 

Read More »

2020 Vision: Are Your Stars Aligned This Year?

Depending on one’s perspective, 2020 is either the end of the last decade or the beginning of this one.  One can argue that our actual birthday is the day we were born and 12 months later we are one year old.  This suggests that on our tenth birthday we have lived a decade and a

Read More »

You Have 10 Minutes: Maybe

Over the past couple of weeks this writer has been part of several conversations regarding the value proposition of technology for established as well as startup companies and how to articulate it. This remains a tough subject and we have been addressing it over the years.  However, there is an approach that is successful when

Read More »

Operational Complexity: Risk Model Insufficiency

Most readers will be familiar with the above linear Risk Matrix Model.  This graphical representation of risk exposure is useful but strict adherence to it can lead to a false sense of security. Systemic Risk Management The real world is very complex with many moving parts.  The potential interaction of processes, events and other challenges

Read More »

Beat the Market: Can Operational Excellence Increase EPS?

In a recent Houston Chronicle article, its author puts forth the premise that while oil and gas companies should do well in the stock market this year, don’t expect the energy services sector to fare as well.  As those who are either in the sector or track it (stock analysts) know all to well that

Read More »

Bull or Bear: Is there gold in them there markets?

Are we on the verge of another California gold rush, boom market or depression?  No one knows.  What is certain; risk mitigation must be central to any business model. This year may be especially challenging for the oil industry.  Recently, conventional wisdom is downgrading average crude oil prices for 2019.  Reasons include a plentiful supply

Read More »

Millennials Take On Our Increasingly Complex World

Originally published in 2013. On January 1st at 0348 hours a young engineer employed by a service company is trying to address a problem she has encountered with a compressor on a drilling rig in the Deepwater Gulf of Mexico.  She graduated from college three years ago and went to work for a large energy

Read More »

Are Organizational Governance Models Broken: Why Can’t Management Get a Handle on Things?

Over 15 years ago, organizations such as Enron, Worldcom, Tysons, and others failed after massive managerial maleficence and even criminality.  Enron’s auditor, Arthur Andersen folded as well. The result of this carnage was the imprisonment of many, the death (apparent heart attack) of the disgraced former CEO of Enron, suicides, massive shareholder value destruction and

Read More »

Is Your Digitalized Organization Cybersecure?

Here is How to Find Out! It seems that everyday a new major cyber breach is announced.  The Rapid Response Institute and its Principals have addressed this issue many times through a variety of venues and publications. We recently conducted a workshop, “Implementing Digitalization: A Game Changing Transformation of the E&P Sector.”  The Cybersecurity of

Read More »

Organizational Predators: Jackals, Hyenas, and Wolves in Managerial Clothing

Prologue In the author’s August 2004 edition of the then, Executive Briefing Newsletter (early online delivery) we addressed the impact on the firm of managerial misbehavior.  This article was one of a list of challenges put forth to that generation of management. Sadly, recent events have compelled us all to revisit this issue, although for

Read More »

A New Relationship

This time of year, many make the so-called New Year’s Resolutions and make a personal if not short-term commitment to modify behaviors deemed as needing change.  Typical personal commitments include, losing weight, getting more exercise, becoming a better spouse/partner, etc. Unfortunately, most of these behavioral changes go by the wayside in short order.  Many reasons

Read More »

Excellent Behaviors: Assessing Relationships in the Operational Excellence Ecosystem

One of the hot business buzzwords of 2017 is “Operational Excellence.” It has been the subject for many pundits, including this one. In October and November we published a two part series, Assuring Operational Excellence from Contractors and Their Subcontractors through BTOES Insights. Each part included a link to additional information. The October edition featured

Read More »
Scroll to Top