When I read in my newspaper today the Baker recommendations from the report into the BP Texas refinery disaster, I could not help but think that, in virtually an identical form, but adapted to the relevant system / project / area of business, they provide a valuable, yet succinct, checklist on many other areas of corporate governance or day-to-day management of systems and projects.

With a few changes of words (the main deletion is reference to “process safety” and its replacement with “[INSERT]”), they are repeated below: 

“1. XYZ Law Firm’s partners and executive management must provide effective leadership on, and establish appropriate goals for, [INSERT].  Those individuals must demonstrate their commitment to [INSERT] by articulating a clear message on the importance of [INSERT] and matching that message with the actions they take.

 

2. XYZ Law Firm should establish and implement an integrated and comprehensive [INSERT] management system that systematically and continuously identifies, reduces and manages [INSERT RISKS OR OTHER] at its [OFFICES].

 

3. XYZ Law Firm should develop and implement a system to ensure that its executive management, its [INSERT] management above the [INSERT] level, and all [INSERT] personnel in [INSERT] possess an appropriate level of [INSERT] knowledge and expertise.

 

4. XYZ Law Firm should involve the relevant stakeholders to develop a positive, trusting and open [INSERT] culture within each [OFFICE].

 

5. XYZ Law Firm should clearly define expectations and strengthen accountability for [INSERT] performance at all levels in executive management and also in the [INSERT] managerial and supervisory reporting line.

 

6. XYZ Law Firm should provide more effective and better coordinated [INSERT] support for the [INSERT] [part of the] organisation.

 

7. XYZ Law Firm should develop, implement, maintain and periodically update an integrated set of [INSERT] performance indicators for more effectively monitoring the [INSERT] performance of the [OFFICES].

 

8. XYZ Law Firm should establish and implement an effective system to audit [INSERT] performance at its [OFFICES].

 

9. XYZ Law Firm’s board should monitor the implementation of the recommendations [of the panel] and the ongoing [INSERT] performance of XYZ Law Firm’s [OFFICES]. The board should, for a period of at least [five years], engage an independent monitor to report annually to the board on XYZ Law Firm’s progress in implementing the [panel’s] recommendations. The board should also report [publicly] on the progress of such implementation.

 

10. XYZ Law Firm should use the lessons learned from [INSERT RELEVANT WAR STORY] and from the [panel’s] report to transform the firm into a recognised industry leader in [INSERT] management.”