Why CCOs are Required in Risk Management

Rosabeth Kanter of Harvard describes the key influentials in the C-suite as "connectors" who link individuals and missions to strategy execution.

The connection of the CCO and the enterprise communication team with stakeholders, listening to and learning from their perceptions of enterprise delivery of values, is the essential competence. At the top-level risk management table, that listening competence is essential.

This is particularly important in the investor-owned company, where possible disruptions are required in the annual 10-K Risk Factors list.

The government's EDGAR database makes the information publicly available. Investors, analysts, writers, students, competitors, whoever reads this list, are warned that coming contexts can threaten perceived stakes.

Analyzed perceptions—the true connection of stakeholders to enterprise reality—has become the CCO's influential obligation in enterprise risk management.

Through monitoring and assessing stakeholder and public analog relevance, forming and measuring reactions to enterprise information flow, CCOs are an early and ongoing leader in detecting seeds of disruption, on or off the list of recognized risks, that shake stakeholder belief, trust and advocacy.