Leveraging External and Internal Sources for Risk Insights
Key Takeaways from the Chief Compliance Office of Sinclair, Inc.
In this expert conversation hosted by the NC State ERM Initiative, Jeff Lewis, Chief Compliance Officer at Sinclair, Inc., shares a practical framework for identifying emerging and enterprise risks using a blend of external resources and internal dialogue. His insights are especially valuable for ERM leaders looking to expand their view beyond traditional risk identification methods.
Key Insights on Using External and Internal Risk Sources
In this conversation, Jeff Lewis shares how combining external data with internal dialogue helps uncover emerging risks that matter most to leadership and strategy. Here are a few of the conversation highlights:
Tap Into multiple external sources to stay ahead.
Jeff emphasizes the power of third-party resources such as the NC State Top Risks Report, World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report, Gartner updates, and peer SEC filings. Each offers a different lens, helping organizations identify early signals of change across industries and sectors.
Bring insights into the business with targeted interviews.
Sinclair supplements external trends with short, focused interviews with senior leaders—framed around business “obstacles” rather than the word “risk.” This language shift encourages open dialogue and ties risk directly to strategic objectives, making conversations more actionable.
Responding to pushback: Make emerging risks relevant.
When business leaders dismiss certain external risks as irrelevant, Jeff advises ERM professionals to gently reframe the discussion: What could get in the way of your goals? He’s found that repeated, respectful engagement builds trust—and over time, resistance fades.
Don’t reinvent the wheel—leverage what’s available.
Jeff’s advice for new ERM leaders: start with what’s already out there. Use risk surveys and best-practice toolkits to spark conversations and expand thinking. “You don’t have to be clairvoyant to identify emerging risks—just curious and prepared,” he says.
Use third-party reports to spot what’s not on your radar.
External reports help surface trends that may not yet appear in your industry’s risk register. For instance, consider AI or ESG five years ago. These insights can prompt more forward-looking risk conversations internally and support strategic planning at the board level.
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