“Stop!” announces Mark to his 4 year old twins. Being a risk geek, he is helping his twins understand risk and the value of risk assessment in decision making. On hearing their Dad call “Stop” they immediately stop what they are doing and announce “risk assessment”.

“That’s right,” says Mark, as he facilitates a discussion along the lines of:

Q: “How high is that?”  A: “Pretty high Dad”

Q: “What’s underneath it?” A: “Concrete Dad”

Q: “What happens if one of you falls?” A: “Break a leg or something”

Q: “What is your decision?” A: “We don’t climb it.”

Absolute gold. Thank you Mark for sharing the story with me!

What triggers do you use with those you advise that will lead them to stop and think things through a little more than they may otherwise have done?