Risk Intelligence: Futureproofing print through people
By Joanna Cummings
Risk Intelligence isn’t a term many people in print or distribution will be familiar with. How would you explain it to someone navigating change?
Dr Aarti Anhal: The first thing to say is that we all have Risk Intelligence. It’s how we move through life and business thinking about, perceiving and then acting in relation to risk.
We make risk-based decisions every day – often without thinking about it. Most people think about risk purely as threat, as what might go wrong, but in reality risk always has an upside as well. We take risks because we want to get somewhere faster, do something better or gain something new.
In business, particularly in industries facing disruption, Risk Intelligence shapes how people think about both threats and opportunities, and how they act on them.
Why does this matter so much at the moment for the print and distribution industry?
Because organisations are asking people to think differently under pressure. What “good” looks like is changing, and that’s uncomfortable. Leaders and teams are being asked to come up with new ideas, new products, new services, new ways of working, and sometimes even new business models.
What I see again and again is that the tensions people experience in meetings about change are actually risk-based conversations. One person might be very comfortable moving quickly and going for it, while another wants more analysis, more reassurance and more certainty before acting.
Neither of those approaches is right or wrong. But unless people recognise that these differences come down to how they use their Risk Intelligence, those tensions can slow progress or create frustration.
“Development isn’t about changing who you are. It’s about becoming more flexible.”
So it’s about understanding people?
Exactly. It’s about understanding yourself and the people around you. We need diverse teams. Risk Intelligence gives leaders a way of understanding why people respond differently to change, and how to bring those differences together so they become a strength rather than a barrier.
Can Risk Intelligence be developed?
Absolutely. It includes things like emotional intelligence, the skills and strengths you bring to decision-making, and also your values and motivations – what really drives you as a person. All of that influences when you feel comfortable taking risks and when you don’t.
Development isn’t about changing who you are. It’s about becoming more flexible – recognising your natural tendencies and learning when to dial them up or down depending on what the situation requires.
“I want leaders to recognise the role they play in shaping culture.”
How does this work at a business or leadership-team level?
It helps leaders understand how their teams are currently operating and what needs to shift behaviourally to deliver strategy. It also helps them think more carefully about how they communicate change, how they support teams when things go wrong, and how they balance protecting existing value with creating new value.
What do you hope delegates will take away from your presentation at World Printers Summit and DistriPress Congress 2026?
I hope they recognise themselves – particularly if they sit at either end of the risk spectrum. That moment of recognition is often where the biggest learning happens.
Most of all, I want leaders to recognise the role they play in shaping culture. The way a leader thinks about risk, threat and opportunity creates a behavioural footprint across the business. In times of uncertainty, that footprint can either build confidence or hold people back.
Joanna Cummings is a bespoke magazine maker, fractional editor and writer. With over a decade of experience in the global magazine industry, she is a regular contributor to FIPP, DistriPress and the International Magazine Centre.
