H OW S TRONG P URPOSE M AKES I T S AFE TO F AIL (A S W ELL AS TO P REVAIL ) After all, it was the company that asked the executive to lead the proj- ect. These measures, asserts Monahan, ``not only reduce risk but [also enable others] to be comfortable taking a risk.'' 8 Innovation is inherently a process of change, and for some em- ployees, that can be hard to take. Henry Ford Health System CEO Nancy Schlichting, who has been in a leadership position in healthcare for 30 years, quoted an employee who asked, `` `Wouldn't it be nice if we didn't have to change anymore?' And I said, `Well, actually, no, because do you think everything's perfect now?' `No,' the employee admitted. `That's why change is needed,' she replied.'' 9 Innovation must complement organizational purpose. At the Henry Ford Health System, purpose is rooted in three key drivers: access to quality care, exceptional service, and attention to cost. Knowing these drivers of success provides clarity for employees in the organization. ``It will give us short-term financial success . . . and the right results [as well as] keep us relevant and sustained over the long haul,'' explains Schlichting. 10 Understanding Risk/Reward When it comes to risk, Michael Useem of Wharton refers to a ``system of enterprise risk management.'' With such a system in place, typically under the province of a chief risk officer, there is a system of triggers that alert the senior team when too much risk is undertaken. ``Having that system in place,'' says Useem, ``allows people the confidence to make calculated judgments on the kind of risks they need to take to make a difference'' in the business. 11 Useem sees risk management best utilized in the U.S. Marine Corps. Marine officers are taught to work with the ``70 percent fac- --81-- American Managememt Association · www.amanet.org