IAm Virginia Li
Blogs Virginia Li, CIA, CRMA, CFE, CGMA May 24, 2023
Virginia Li enjoys zip lining on vacation in the Caribbean.
“Zip-what? I mean… do we really have to do that?” That was my immediate reaction to my family’s proposal to go zip lining while on a vacation in the Caribbean. After all, as a risk management professional, I mostly stay on the risk-adverse side of the spectrum. Then my 5-year-old niece was courageously telling everyone that she was “very scared” but also looking forward to the idea. I swallowed my vote and quietly followed the group. The next thing I knew, a zip line coach was helping me get geared up from head-to-toe with a safety helmet, belts, cables, harnesses, etc. As the outfit’s truck was driving up a steep slope, transferring us to the very first zip lining station on the mountain, I tried to maintain an appearance of calm. I kept telling myself, “It is okay; it will be over before you know it."
We stopped at a gazebo, where the head coach provided a safety training session. Hearing keywords such as, “certified and experienced trainers,” “mechanical safety links,” “redundancy,” etc., helped me feel more comfortable about embracing a risk that seemed assured by safety protocols and risk mitigation measures. Our group proceeded to walk up the departure platform and zip line over to the other side. While observing our coach assist us, lead us in repeating the “1-2-3-4-C” safety-check mantra, and remind us of what to expect when departing, sliding over, and landing, I started thinking in terms of scenarios, likelihood, magnitude, risks, and controls. For example, in the unlikely event of getting stuck hanging in the air, there was one coach on either side of the line who would be our rescue heroes. In another remote risk of a pulley malfunction, compensating control is in place through the redundancy system.
Stepping up onto the departure platform, I could hear my own breathing, and time seemed to slow down. For more peace of mind, I called up words of wisdom from my risk and leadership training within a split second: “Aim higher; self-challenge; trust my team; Yes, I can do it!” It worked very well. Effectively, I began enjoying traveling through the air at an exciting speed, smelling the fresh scent from the woods, seeing the blue ocean and white clouds, and, finally, hearing the cheering of my family, including the reassurance of its youngest member: “Congratulations, you proved you are not a chicken!”
Career women like me often think and talk about work-life balance. To me, it’s one life — the same one life where we move forward with a leadership mindset of “dare to change,” balanced with the professional skills to take on calculated risks. Experiences like this one have taught me to dare to imagine a vision of success, feel inspired and empowered to challenge the status quo, be prepared and supported by subject matter experts, be confident about teamwork — and then remember to enjoy the ride.