The Fellowship of Risk: Battling Operational Chaos with Courage and Change"

The Beginning: A Realm in Peril

In the ancient realm of Financia, a great threat loomed. The kingdom’s treasury, once brimming with wealth and trust, was under siege by unseen enemies: system outages, compliance failures, and rogue actors. The rulers of the land, blinded by complacency, ignored the whispers of risk until one dark day when a great cyberattack struck. Transactions halted, trust eroded, and the kingdom’s coffers drained under the weight of penalties and lost revenue.

In the ashes of the attack, the Council of Governance convened. “We need a weapon,” declared the Steward of Risk. “A framework that will unite all our efforts, a guiding light to banish the shadows of operational chaos.” Thus, the Quest for the One Framework—an Operational Risk Management (ORM) system—was born.

But the Council knew that forging the framework was not enough. The hearts of the people were fractured, and their will to change was weak. They needed more than a plan; they needed to inspire belief, unity, and action.

The Middle: The Fellowship of Change

From across the kingdom, champions were summoned: Risk Masters, Guardians of Change, and Builders of Knowledge. Together, they formed the Fellowship of Change, sworn to integrate ORM and inspire adoption using the ancient wisdom of ADKAR—the five pillars of transformation: Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement.

The Forge of ADKAR

• Awareness: The Fellowship journeyed to the Tower of Communication, where proclamations of past failures were etched into scrolls. The people of Financia were shown the cost of inaction: failed defenses, rogue actors, and the loss of their kingdom’s honor. Fireside tales of resilience inspired hope that the One Framework could protect them.
• Desire: In the great halls of Financia, workshops were held. Merchants, knights, and scribes were shown how the framework could ease their burdens, protect their livelihoods, and restore the kingdom’s glory. Slowly, the seeds of commitment took root.
• Knowledge: The Fellowship traveled to the Academy of Learning, where they taught the people the ways of ORM. RCSAs, KRIs, and loss event reporting became tools of their trade. Manuals and scrolls were distributed, ensuring that every guild and order understood their role in the great mission.
• Ability: Trials were conducted in the Western Regions, where the framework was tested against real threats. Risk champions stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the people, guiding them through battles and refining their strategies. Confidence grew with every victory.
• Reinforcement: To sustain their momentum, the Fellowship celebrated every success. Heroes were honored, their deeds chronicled in the Chronicles of Risk. Songs of triumph echoed through the kingdom, reminding all of the strength found in unity.

The Integrated Plan

The Fellowship’s journey followed a structured path:

Phase 1: The Call to Action (0-3 Months)

• Conducted a kingdom-wide assessment of weaknesses in RCSA, KRIs, and loss event defenses.
• Proclaimed the vision for the One Framework, rallying the people.

Phase 2: Forging the Framework (3-6 Months)

• Built the foundation of the ORM framework, crafting tools like the GRC system.
• Engaged guilds and orders to align their practices with the new system.

Phase 3: The Pilgrim’s Trials (6-12 Months)

• Piloted the framework in select regions, refining it through battles with operational threats.
• Gathered feedback to strengthen the framework.

Phase 4: The Kingdom’s Transformation (12-18 Months)

• Deployed the framework across all regions, empowering leaders to wield its power.
• Standardized incident management and control assurance processes.

Phase 5: The Age of Resilience (18-24 Months)

• Established rituals of learning and review to ensure continuous improvement.
• Celebrated milestones to sustain morale and commitment.

The Battles and the Lessons

1. The Siege of Chaos: A neighboring realm fell to ruin when its treasury was plundered by a rogue trader. Despite having a framework, the lack of engagement among its people rendered it powerless. Financia’s leaders vowed to avoid this fate by fostering unity through ADKAR.
2. The Triumph of Unity: A small province within Financia resisted the framework initially. By applying the principles of ADKAR, the Fellowship won their trust, leading to a 50% increase in framework adoption and a significant reduction in operational threats.

The End: The Dawn of a Resilient Age

Years later, Financia stood strong. The One Framework was no longer a tool but a way of life. Operational incidents fell by 30%, risk reporting accuracy improved by 40%, and the kingdom’s people embraced their roles as guardians of resilience.

The Fellowship disbanded, their mission complete, but their legacy endured. They had proven that even the greatest threats could be conquered when technical mastery and the hearts of the people worked in harmony.

Your Turn: What quests has your organization undertaken to manage operational risks? How do you unite your people in the face of change? Share your stories below! 👇