We are living in unprecedented times for risk managers. Never have they been in more demand, and never have they commanded the kind of attention they've received in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. It has become an essential function, one that you trivialize at your company's risk.

So what makes a great risk manager these days? A recent survey from Active Risk, which has operations in the U.K. and the U.S., has identified some interesting traits. The survey called for respondents to complete an online survey based on the well-established DISC profiling methodology that was used to produce a confidential personalized profile report.

"The cumulative results were used to identify the main personality types active in the profession. Three groups emerged. The largest percentage (60 percent) represented ‘Technicians' with the characteristics for accuracy and logical action traditionally associated with Risk Managers. More surprisingly, over 30 percent of those who responded to the survey emerged as ‘Evangelists' who are optimistic and inspiring leaders. This new breed of risk manager could prove instrumental when embedding a corporate risk culture. Finally, just under 10 percent of risk professionals who took part in the survey were ‘Drivers' with determined personalities more usually associated with sales professionals."

So there would appear to be plenty of traditional practitioners. But the evangelists may have the upper hand in the job market. At the executive level, you really don't want a dry technician as a leader, but rather a dynamic personality that cuts across the organization and sells the entire organization on the benefits of best practices from a risk perspective. This is the type of person the board will be looking to for leadership on these important issues.

For more:
- here's the survey

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