A Deeper Dive: Grey Rhinos
Written by: Michael Johnston - Chief Security Advisor
You may recall that I wrote my last piece on Grey Rhinos. I explained the difference between "Black Swan" events, those that are unanticipated and seemingly impossible, and "Grey Rhinos," which are events that are plain to see yet ignored until the consequences are too late. These concepts are important because you will hear them again.
If you have never heard of Gordon Graham, you should take some time and check out his books, videos, and commentary on risk and how to manage it. Gordon is an expert in risk management, and he often has some unique ways to convey his messages, but he always makes his point. I particularly like his discussions regarding Black Swans and Grey Rhinos, which prompted these articles.
Home security and personal safety are processes like any other. You must think through your options, evaluate their application, and then execute your plan. It doesn't matter if you are talking about personal safety, like strategically walking to your car in dark and unfamiliar environments, or if you are trying to develop a home safety plan. Action is what lies between intention and outcomes. In most instances, failing to take action determines the outcome.
Awareness levels always come into play when discussing safety; quite frankly, you can't have a genuine safety discussion without it. Remember, awareness is about the examination of our behaviors and vulnerabilities. Awareness levels range from white to red on a sliding scale. Condition White is being completely unaware of your surroundings and unprepared for even the prospect of danger. In Condition Yellow, you are relaxed but alert. You are not expecting trouble, but you are aware of your environment. Condition Orange, you sense danger, and you are ready to react. Condition Red is fighting for your life. It is the culmination of life experience or self-training that prepares you for survival. Some advocate a fifth level, Condition Black, which describes a blind state of panic. A situation you definitely want to avoid. Here, you are entirely unable to react to the circumstances because you have not developed the inner tools nor the outer skills with which to respond. If you find yourself here, you are in a bad way!
Thankfully, our Boss Security Screen readers should never find themselves in Condition Black. Our article's sole purpose is to prevent such Grey Rhinos from occurring. Of course, proper planning and preparation take time, but Rome wasn't built in a day. That is why Boss will be providing valuable tips, tricks, and best practices to help you prepare for your best safety.
Recapping where we have been, we tackled the elephant in the room with our piece on gun ownership and the subsequent videos regarding the proper selection and fitting for a firearm with Josh Nilson at Dark Horse Tactical. Gun ownership always seems to be the first question I get when talking with people, so I thought we would address it first. There will undoubtedly be more discussions on gun ownership, but for now, I want to transition our focus toward personal and home safety outside of firearms. We already know that our conditional awareness is paramount to safety. Condition White is great if you dream of your happy place, but never for safety. As we move forward, I challenge you to test your awareness levels. Are you mental mapping and training your mind to think of possibilities? It takes practice and application, but it is safer and easy to do. Never let a 4000-pound beast of a Rhino sneak up on you…it is dangerous!
Next up will be a series of articles specifically worked around the concept of CPTED or Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design. As a Certified Professional Designer (CPD), I will apply CPTED principles to simple home security questions. Things like lighting, door locks, landscaping, and other inexpensive ways to shore up your home. We will also address alarms, camera systems, and security screens. Why buck the odds when you have a known winner.
Boss Security Screens wants to be your community partner in making the Las Vegas Valley and cities like it the safest in the country. That doesn't happen by accident. It takes effort on our part and yours. So, let's approach this journey with purpose and forethought.
Until next time….be safe and be prepared!
Written by,
Michael Johnston
Chief Security Advisor at Boss Security Screens
About Michael Johnston:
Michael was born and raised in rural Nebraska. He began his law enforcement career in 1989 with the Lincoln Police Department, Lincoln, NE, where he worked as a patrol officer for nearly four years. Michael joined the Henderson Police Department in 1993, first as a Corrections Officer and later as a Police Officer in June of 1995. During his tenure, Michael has worked as a Patrol Officer, Field Training Officer, Officer in Charge, Crisis Negotiator, K-9 Handler, and Narcotics Investigator. He was promoted to Sergeant in 2005 and moved to the Investigations Division, where he supervised the Property and Special Victims Units. In 2009, Michael was promoted to Lieutenant, where he served as a Watch Commander in patrol and supervisor of the Community Relations Unit. In March of 2013, he became one of eight (8) Captains for the Henderson Police Department Command Team. Michael led the Special Services Division overseeing SWAT, K-9, and Motors but later took the lead as Division Commander of the Investigative Services Division until late 2017. Michael finished his career as the East Area Commander before retiring in early 2019. Immediately after retirement, Michael transitioned to the gaming industry, where he served as the Director of Security and Risk Assessment for Boulder Hwy Gaming and Water St Gaming, LLC. Michael created security strategies, training programs, and policies that reduced security risks and mitigated organizational liabilities. In late 2021, Michael opened Code 4 Consulting; Private Investigations (NV PILB LIC #3090). His company provides a broad spectrum of investigative services, case reviews, expert witness support, and executive protection. He also supports organizations with employee training, compliance, risk assessment, and prevention strategies to target organizational issues that create corporate risk and liability. Michael now joins Boss Security Screens as our Chief Security Advisor. Incorporating his training, experience, and expertise into our operation brings our customers valuable content and insight.
*The author is a paid consultant and product representative for Boss Security Screens. The information provided in this blog does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials are the author’s opinion and for general informational purposes only. It is recommended that you consult an attorney, certified trainers, or licensed providers before acting on any information provided. This website may link to other third-party websites. Such links are for the convenience of the reader and are not endorsed by the author.