Sometimes things are strange - there is a social network (LinkedIn) introducing a new feature that now on a profile is displayed whenever the user is looking at advertisements - without really informing the users that the privacy settings are by default set to "allow". Well that is certainly not compliant with user expectations as Facebook had to learn not long ago - even if it is covered by the terms & conditions. (By the way there are thoughts that this may at least break local law e.g. in the Netherlands)
What is really strange though that after all I personally got informed about this topic by the same social networks LinkeIn Today newsletter I am provided with (actually I need to find this checkmark someday, I never wanted it) which directed me to a critical article by Digital trends. Is that now a lack of control or simply an example of openness and transparency?
On the other hand I would like to share another article I happened to read some time ago at BBC . Those who have been on some of my presentation know that I like to compare risk & control management with playing golf. There are so many nice analogies in this - and so I am very happy that there is another golf analogy supporting our thoughts on GRC getting real!
Every golfer that is like me only basically talented and has only limited time to get playing to improve likes to use any option giving him the suggestion to improve his game. So I'm very keen on those golf balls having transmitters in them that allow to precisely track the flight and position (finding them in the rough in my case) and comparing them with last years round on the same hole (still not better). I will simply take out my iPad (where I am already able today to get help on the rules) and will be shown a nice layout of the course with ball position, recommendation for the next stroke and suggestion which iron I should better have taken! (Actually the real innovation is here to have a transmitter being able to withstand the impact of a golf club)!
But the analogy hits for GRC. We have the technologies available for tracking business actions giving a whole set of new options to managing risks, controls and compliance and responding in real time! The difference is only that I'm not sure if those transmitter balls will be admitted for golf tournaments - on the GRC side I'm very sure that in the coming years GRC management based on business reality with real time response will become not only allowed but state of the art.
We'll share our thoughts on this in our CEP blog posts and for sure here in the GRC group as well after I'm back from my summer leave - so stay tuned!
