An "organisational imperative for safety" and "a high level of comfort with complexity" at Westpac head a long list of pithy attempts to define the dilemmas facing the bank and contained in its long-delayed self-assessment on risk governance.There's plenty more, including "a lack of clarity on accountabilities and consequences" and "challenges in rapidly identifying, prioritising, escalating and remediating issues."The 93 page analysis, released yesterday, was overseen by Leif Evensen, the bank's general manager for operational risk and its former chief operating officer John Arthur. A program management office supported by partner Ed Emanuel and other consultants Oliver Wyman steered the project, aided by a "global expert panel" rallied by the firm provided input.This Review Team set the scene for understanding Australia's second largest bank via the metaphor of DNA strands, some healthier than others."The first DNA strand could be summarised as an organisational tendency to cultivate complexity."They found "multiple frameworks and policies dealing with what are really common issues, and complex systems and processes."Pragmatism in the face of this burden adds to strife at Westpac."To achieve satisfactory outcomes amidst this complexity, there is too often reliance on personal networks, critical employees and ad hoc workarounds. "The inefficiencies and the opportunity for errors in this, including in risk management, are obvious."The second corporate DNA strand the review labelled "a tendency to privilege upfront conceptual work over execution and implementation, including a fading of focus as work proceeds."Consequences include an execution deficit, delayed and inadequate embedding of change, additional cost and a lack of accountability for outcomes. While Westpac has taken steps to build its execution capability, including through the Westpac Next initiative, gaps remain.The third of these DNA strands looks the most destructive, an "organisational imperative for safety, both at a company and employee level."This over-focus on safety "can inhibit proper empowerment of employees by unnecessarily restricting decision rights, leading to gaps in individual accountability and an overweighting to matrix- managed collective decision-making," the reviewers said.This cultural trait is the agent of Westpac's version of the industry-wide dilemma."The legitimate concern in the Finance function that the organisation protects itself through strong financial results can crowd out claims for additional spending on risk or compliance issues from what might at the time be less strong voices in Risk or Compliance."Giving staff a voice - too many staff - depletes the bank of energy."Governance forums can unnecessarily proliferate and be used as safe harbours from personal risk, rather than just for oversight and guidance. The result can be excessive consumption of scarce time and resources generating too little progress, and the crowding out of headspace that could be devoted to improving the company."Among key recommendations are: Enhanced practices relevant to the experience of customers, particularly the management of customer complaints. Embedding of risk gates and risk adjustments in remuneration frameworks and policies. And on the all important culture meme, the Westpac self-assessment proposes more effort toward "supporting leaders and equipping leaders to be more effective", finessing "'ways of working', new skills and