A Million Downloads

Just recently we tipped over a million downloads of books (https://www.humandymensions.com/shop/) and videos (https://vimeo.com/humandymensions; https://vimeo.com/CLLR). And, it’s good to be able to celebrate what we offer the risk and safety industry as an alternative that works. And so much of what we offer is free!

There’s no doubt that SPoR is helping people all over the globe in risk and safety. At its foundation, it helps develop better and more ethical methods for tackling risk (https://www.humandymensions.com/product/spor-and-semiotics/), that work.

Usually, a SPoR transformation in organisations happens without fanfare or show but quietly works in the background where persons are valued and social meaning drives strategic method. Most often SPoR is adopted after years of trying everything else, and finding out over time that slogans, fads and silver bullets don’t work. Without a clear methodology, most organisations captured by fads and slogans discover that its back to systems, policing and traditional safety. It doesn’t have to be that way.

In SPoR, organisations discover that an ethical method to tackling risk makes the work of safety enlivening and fulfilling. The positive and practical methods of SPoR help replace the checklisting, excessive systems and paper-focused approach to risk. And the focus is on risk, not safety. When you shift your eyes off the outcome and focus on the process, the workplace changes. You can hear about how this happens here: https://novellus.solutions/insights/podcast/applying-social-psychology-of-risk-in-practice-a-podcast-with-brian-darlington/2/

There are no magic bullets or slogans offered in SPoR but much hard work where an ethical focus on persons drives practice. You can get a good idea about how SPoR philosophy works here: https://www.humandymensions.com/product/the-social-psychology-of-risk-handbook/ and here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbL8qpQTkCw

This ‘hard work’ of SPoR requires organisations to jettison methods, models and definitions of culture that don’t work (meaning that don’t offer an ethical process). Unless a method is ethical, it cannot ‘work’. Achieving a numerical outcome through the brutalising of persons doesn’t work. Putting slogans on top of traditional safety systems, doesn’t work. And because SPoR is not ‘easy’ it is clearly a challenge for many.

It is a truism, that to make something ‘work’ takes ‘hard work’.

In SPoR, our discourse is not about the controlling of hazards nor, about the crazy idea that innovation has anything to do with Technique (https://safetyrisk.net/and-the-innovation-is-humans/). Technique (the quest for efficiency) never works in favour of persons (https://safetyrisk.net/technique-the-worship-of-a-false-idol/). Real Meeting (i-thou) is never about Technique (https://safetyrisk.net/meeting-is-not-about-technique/).

So, what does this milestone of a million downloads signify?

Well, it shows that the risk and safety industry have an interest in an alternative to what is normalised in the risk and safety industry where ‘culture is what we do around here’, zero and ‘safety is a choice you make’ don’t work.

It shows that in the 20 years since starting out with a simple little book called Risk Makes Sense (https://www.humandymensions.com/product/risk-makes-sense/) that SPoR connects with people in the safety industry and, it gives us every reason to keep on going.

Thanks for the downloads, and for all the encouragement and support.

SPoR in 2025 will continue with more online courses offered for free and some masterclasses at cost.

For those in the USA, don’t forget that Matt, Frank and Billy are delivering a SPoR conference in Huston in May (https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1302540; https://events.humanitix.com/risk-intelligence-what-is-your-risk-icue). You can find out more by emailing: matthew@riskdiversity.com.au

For those in Europe (courses in Denmark, Scotland and London) you can register for courses in SPoR here: https://novellus.solutions/events/  and for courses in Romania, you can register here https://www.corporatedynamics.ro/event/the-social-psychology-of-risk-spor-fundamentals/?

If you want to join the first free module on offer in 2025 you can register for the Embodiment and Risk module (https://cllr.com.au/product/embodiment-learning-and-risk-module-26/) here: admin@spor.com.au

At this stage we have a huge contingent in the group registered from Brazil but anyone is welcome to join if the time suits. The sessions will start at 7am Tuesday February 2025 and continue for 4 more sessions.

In SPoR, we ensure that cost is not an impediment for learning. The Introduction to SPoR module and Due Diligence modules are also free. There is no impediment to hold anyone back from making a start in SPoR.

• Bio
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Dr Rob Long

Expert in Social Psychology, Principal & Trainer at Human Dymensions

Latest posts by Dr Rob Long (see all)

• Critical Thinking Needed More Than Ever in Safety - January 21, 2025
• Selling Safety and the Safety of Selling Safety Culture - January 19, 2025
• Hearing Voices - January 18, 2025
• You Can’t ‘Bust’ Myths - January 18, 2025
• There is No Such Thing as an HRO - January 18, 2025

PhD., MEd., MOH., BEd., BTh., Dip T., Dip Min., Cert IV TAA, MRMIA Rob is the founder of Human Dymensions and has extensive experience, qualifications and expertise across a range of sectors including government, education, corporate, industry and community sectors over 30 years. Rob has worked at all levels of the education and training sector including serving on various post graduate executive, post graduate supervision, post graduate course design and implementation programs.