Risk Registry

The Canadian Sport Risk Registry contains a number of common risks and is updated following each Risk Management Workshop. The risks and solutions are presented generically and anonymously, to provide insight for sport leaders to think differently about the risks that are ‘keeping them up at night’.

Lack of strategic planning

The Risk and its Impacts:

Failure to adopt or use a relevant strategic plan to its full advantage, leading to misuse of resources, lack of direction, and lack of corporate accountability.

Strategies:
  • Develop a communications plan for Board of Directors and general membership that clearly identifies strategic goals and objectives and highlights mission, vision, and values.
  • Integrate priority strategic items into operations plan.
  • Use strategic plan as a guide when assessing the feasibility of new projects.
  • Undertake a regular environmental scan to monitor and plan for risk.
  • Adopt a Management by Values approach to daily operations. Reference values in decision-making and team discussions.
  • Conduct an annual evaluation to assess the use of the strategic plan and the achievement of strategic objectives.

Managing competing priorities

The Risk and its Impacts:

Not being able to determine or decide which projects or programs to prioritize, and which to decline or discontinue.

Strategies:
  • Use part-time staff, temporary staff, or contractors when appropriate.
  • Explore partnership opportunities with PTSOs to complete projects.
  • Invest only in programs that further the organization’s mission and vision.
  • Review strategic plan to reconcile which current priorities are relevant to the plan.

Managing stakeholder demands and expectations

The Risk and its Impacts:

Risk that services and membership benefits delivered to stakeholders will not be up to an expected standard and therefore lead to stakeholder dissatisfaction and reputational damage.

Strategies:
  • Adjust the size of deliverables to reflect current capacity to deliver.
  • Be sure to match the budget to the deliverables.
  • Clarify stakeholder expectations by communicating clear standards of delivery.
  • Hold a stakeholder consultation or outreach through survey or interview to build understanding and shared outcomes.
  • Clearly communicate the benefits of NSO membership, the purpose of the NSO, and its strategic goals.
  • Use more diverse communication methods (videos, social media, forums and meetings) to actively engage with stakeholders.
Communication Strategies:
  • Ensure communication is ongoing and strategically positioned based on different groups.

Sport lacks strong international profile

The Risk and its Impacts:

The sport lacks a strong profile and reputation within the international community, which inhibits competitive invitations, hosting opportunities, international funding and decision-making influence.

Strategies:
  • Undertake deliberate succession planning for international appointments. Target and develop emerging leaders and support them in their leadership aspirations.
  • Fully fund all international delegates, and institute reporting requirements in exchange for funding.
  • Pursue development of a hosting strategy in conjunction with sport tourism interests.
  • Collaborate with USA counterpart to enhance North American hosting opportunities, and/or other like-minded nations to address imbalances and identify best practices.
  • Support international representatives in creating a communications network or website portal to improve communication and information sharing among them.
  • Create a facility development strategy. Focus on sustaining a small number of highest quality facilities in Canada to assist in hosting efforts.
  • Educate members on opportunities available as an international federation supporter.
  • Identify and capitalize on all advantages offered by the Canadian approach. Identify the unique assets and strengths we bring to the table (e.g., policy development, diversity, safety standards).
Communication Strategies:
  • Communications strategy is focused on branding Canada as a place worthy of hosting international competitions.

Staff turnover and lack of succession planning

The Risk and its Impacts:

Turnover of key staff and leaders, including the loss of current generation of strong leaders and coaches. The organization may experience loss of key corporate knowledge, interruption of business continuity, duplication of effort and other inefficiencies, loss of strategic focus, and potential relationship damage.

Strategies:
  • Develop a succession plan and/or business interruption plan in the event of the loss or incapacity of key staff and leadership positions
  • Target athletes close to retirement and communicate opportunities to remain involved in the sport in a leadership role (groom future talent).
  • Do a regular review of compensation packages to remain competitive as an employer.
  • Have clear and current written job descriptions for all positions, that are reviewed annually.
  • Offer flexible working environment and flexible office hours.
  • Provide professional development opportunities to enhance growth and job satisfaction of staff and board.
  • Undertake careful staff recruitment to ensure good fit with organizational culture.
  • Promote diversity in hiring practices.
  • Provide detailed orientation program for new staff and board directors.
  • Undertake an independent human resources analysis to ensure optimal structure and functioning of staff.
  • Incorporate organizational values into staff recruitment and evaluation strategies.
  • Build a positive working environment.
  • Conduct structured and well-planned exit interviews to identify unresolved issues and to improve staff positions.
  • Find a way to celebrate your key leaders through planned/scheduled recognition.
  • Establish a transfer of knowledge (TOK) team at the board and staff levels and develop a TOK process to preserve corporate history.
  • Communicate opportunities to remain involved in the sport in a leadership role to alumni.
  • Consider modern work scenarios such as job sharing, flexible office hours, and remote offices.
  • Identify individuals with similar skill sets and job descriptions who can provide short-term help in case of staff turnover or provide mentoring to new staff.
  • Identify what motivates staff (i.e., money, benefits, professional development, projects, team culture, recognition) and use this information to retain them.
  • Develop a board skills matrix to identify desired skills sets.

Weak brand and profile of sport in Canada

The Risk and its Impacts:

Risk of not building a strong brand that could raise the profile of sport in Canada (e.g., relationships with common interest groups, brand alignment, messaging).

Strategies:
  • Purposefully align events and communications with common interest groups.
  • Invite common interest groups to sit on committees or boards.
  • Consider collaborating with other sport, recreation, education or health partners with similar goals and issues.
  • Undergo a brand strategy development process to better align with partners, including a communications plan.
  • Leverage LTD into branding.
  • Create a common logo for NSO, PTSOs and host communities.
  • Ensure brand is presented appropriately to various audiences.
  • Use strong international profile when possible to build brand domestically.
  • Build awareness by partnering with a recognizable face of the sport.
  • Develop a branding guidelines document.
  • Leverage unique aspects of the sport.
Communication Strategies:
  • Promote written accolades and letters of support.

Weak organizational structure

The Risk its Impacts:

Organization is not structured to optimize resource use and stakeholder services.

Strategies:
  • Review and update policies and procedures with regularity.
  • Strike staff or board committee, or sub-committee, to provide guidance and research current structure recommendations.
  • Publish current policies to ensure stakeholders can access them.
  • Procure expertise (e.g., legal) to ensure updated policies are aligned.
  • Establish a set of corporate values and guidance principles.
  • Examine the actions of the international federation for successes and challenges.
  • Ensure athlete opinions and concerns are considered in decision making and strategic planning.