Why Traditional Risk Management is Failing Companies in 2025

Updated: 1 day ago

Are you ready to stop playing defense and start leading through disruption? In a world of increasing complexity and constant change, relying on outdated risk management models is a blueprint for failure. The truth is, traditional risk management is broken.

In a powerful episode of The Leadership Crucible, host Randy Bruegman sits down with globally recognized risk strategist and author, Dr. Gav Schneider, to explore why resilience is the new core competency for modern leadership. Drawing from his unique background in martial arts, protective security, and behavioral science, Dr. Schneider introduces the game-changing concept of Presilience®.

The Shift from Reactive to Proactive: What is Presilience®?

Dr. Gav Schneider argues that most traditional risk strategies are reactive and compliance-driven. They focus on avoiding danger rather than seizing opportunities. Presilience® is different; it's a proactive, opportunity-focused approach that fuses risk intelligence, mindset, and culture into a single leadership philosophy. It's about not just surviving disruption, but thriving through it.

According to Dr. Schneider, true resilience begins in the mind. It's about cultivating a mindset that can see opportunity in every challenge. This approach helps leaders move beyond simple survival to build a high-performing culture.

The Pitfalls of Traditional Risk Management

Traditional risk registers often miss the most critical factors. Organizations get bogged down in bureaucratic "risk theater," creating lengthy documents that have no real-world application. Dr. Schneider explains that this focus on bureaucratic compliance over substance leads to frustration and poor decision-making.

The podcast also reveals why post-crisis learning often fails. Instead of conducting a proper debrief and learning from mistakes, organizations frequently engage in the "blame game," which is a risky strategy that undermines improvement. Building a learning culture is essential for adapting faster and innovating better.

The Human Element: Mindset, Power, and Leadership

The conversation delves into the human cost of organizational frustration. Dr. Schneider highlights how outdated systems and siloed thinking undermine innovation. He also touches on how positions of power can skew decision-making, leading to a loss of empathy and an overvaluation of one's own opinions.

Developing next-gen leaders for uncertain times means equipping them with a blend of emotional intelligence, adaptability, and ethical alignment. This is a key focus of the Presilience® framework—to move leaders from reactive to proactive thinking.

Meet Dr. Gav Schneider

Dr. Gav Schneider is a globally respected authority in risk intelligence, resilience, and human-centered leadership. With a background in martial arts, protective security, and behavioral science, he has advised governments, Fortune 500s, and emergency response agencies on how to lead in the face of complexity and crisis.

He is the CEO of Risk 2 Solution Group and the founder of the Presilience® framework — a model designed to move leaders from reactive to proactive thinking by embedding resilience, agility, and opportunity-focused decision-making. Gav is also an academic, speaker, and author whose work bridges neuroscience, psychology, and organizational strategy to help leaders thrive in dynamic environments.

His latest book, Presilience: Leadership for the Uncertain Future, offers a new playbook for building high-performing teams and navigating polycrisis environments with clarity and courage.

Podcast Episode Resources

Risk 2 Solution Group (https://risk2solution.com/)
Dr. Gav’s Book - Presilience (https://tinyurl.com/2sjhx6kv)
Dr. Gav Schnieder | LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-gav-schneider)
Risk 2 Solution | Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/risk2solution/)

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