The Gray Rhino

"Even more important than a Black Swan is a Gray Rhino: the highly probable, high impact event we often fail to act on. This book offers some easy tips on how to move to action and create competitive advantage."—Paul Polman, CEO, Unilever

"Why on earth would we need a book to tell us to pay attention to and prepare for obvious, high probability events? Because we resolutely avoid and deny what is right under our noses. The Gray Rhino explains why and lays out a valuable set of steps to become more resilient and realistic about the threats and challenges that will redefine our world."—Dr. Anne-Marie Slaughter, President and CEO of New America and author of Unfinished Business and The Idea that is America

"Michele Wucker provides an updated assessment of the challenges that confront society, that need to be addressed, yet we ignore. Public officials would serve us well by getting busy addressing the Gray Rhinos that are out there, rather than waiting for the next predictable surprise."—Max Bazerman, Straus Professor Harvard Business School, Co-Director, Center for Public Leadership and author of The Power of Noticing

"Michele Wucker is right. Often we can see crises coming: climate change, terrorism, financial crashes. Yet, we fail to act. This valuable book explains why. It’s a must read for leaders of all organisations, public and private as we prepare for the inevitable challenging times."—Kishore Mahbubani, Dean, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (National University of Singapore), and author of The Great Convergence

"In a lucid and accessible style, Michele Wucker forces us to see the knowns we have been treating as unknowns, and teaches us to see opportunities in crisis. This book is a useful primer for rethinking how we manage everything from our personal life to the global economy."—Parag Khanna, author of Connectography and How to Run the World

“Equally vital for companies and countries, [The Gray Rhino] serves as a critical reorientation of crisis management strategy and policymaking.”—Ian Bremmer, President of Eurasia Group and author of The J Curve, The Fat Tail, and Every Nation for Itself

“The world urgently needs a risk-management paradigm shift. This book makes a compelling case for fixing the very risks we create, a bit more every day, or decide to ignore. When your eyes cross those of a Rhino, it's too late.”—Professor Erwann Michel-Kerjan, Executive Director, Wharton Business School Risk Center

“The Gray Rhino offers strategies for dealing with the biggest and most dangerous weak spot for organizations, companies, and nations: the willful failure of business and policy leaders to perceive warning signals . . . This important, insightful, and original book will be a must read for global decision makers and thought leaders.”—William Saito, CEO of Intecur and author of The Team: Solving the Biggest Problem in Japan

“As Michele Wucker warns us: It's not if; it's when. This is a book for our time, when we face multiple, evident existential threats . . . This book reminds us that denial will not save us, and provides strategies for navigating a way forward to survival by ferreting out the opportunities born of crisis.”—Mira Kamdar, author of Planet India: The Turbulent Rise of the Largest Democracy and the Future of Our World

“The Gray Rhino should be required reading for decision makers in business and policy. Drawing on many examples from politics and business, social and economic policy, Michele Wucker provides amazing insights into how organizations can define and confront their obvious but neglected risks. The Fourth Industrial Revolution will have many Gray Rhinos if we don’t act in time to create the necessary principles and rules to direct technology and progress in a way which deflates the risks but uses fully all the great potential.”—Professor Klaus Schwab, Chairman, World Economic Forum and author of The Fourth Industrial Revolution