If you’re inclined to regularly check the pulse of the latest business thinking (I am, thank you very much, though I still cringe at the term “thought leadership”), you know that decision-making is a Hot Topic.

Check out the business book best-sellers, scan the abstracts of the latest research reports by business school professors, or tune in to the latest collection of TED Conference videos (definitely do the latter), and human decision-making is featured prominently.

In business, decision-making centers on how organizations and the individuals who manage them balance risk and opportunity. Here’s a news flash: We need to strike a better balance between managing risk and leveraging opportunities. This means that we need processes and systems to help us manage a healthier balance.

That’s why, I believe, there has been more talk (and more action) involving the integration of risk management and performance management.

I checked in with a gentleman whose lengthy title belies his ability to deliver short and insightful answers on the topic. Here’s a brief interview with Sanjay Poonen — senior vice president and general manager, SAP BusinessObjects performance optimization applications — on the integration of risk management and performance management. ###