TL;DR This is not about "no blame" or "blame fixes nothing". Language influences the way we and others think. When we use communicate there is what we say (the words), and there is what that means (the discourse). I believe the discourse of "human error" in safety actually ends up … [Read more...] about What If We Stopped Using “Human Error”? Shifting Our Language To Shift Our Culture
Wicked Problems in Safety and Risk
14 minutes on how embracing wicked problems thinking can help us to both better understand, and then begin to tackle, some of the negative unintended consequences that can emerge in safety and risk. … [Read more...] about Wicked Problems in Safety and Risk
Safety Performance and Measurement
11 minutes on why I think trying to measure safety performance typically ends up creating far more negative trade-offs than positive. … [Read more...] about Safety Performance and Measurement
The Culture Paradox
10 Minutes on the culture paradox in safety and risk, and why tackling that paradox is so tricky for organisations. The Culture Paradox from Dave Whitefield on Vimeo. … [Read more...] about The Culture Paradox
Embracing Risk–Video
Some thoughts by Dave Whitefield on what moving towards risk and safety maturity looks like, and why I think embracing risk (as opposed to just managing it, or worse, rejecting it) is an essential step along the way. (Video length-18:53) See also: Embracing Risk, Forward to the book “Real … [Read more...] about Embracing Risk–Video
Safety is about…
Why the way we talk about safety in an organisation matters. Does getting home at the end of the work day mean that we were safe that day? Here's my 7 ½ minutes on why the way we talk about safety at work matters so much. … [Read more...] about Safety is about…
Safety and Compliance
Safety and compliance are not the same thing, but are often thought of that way on the front line. Safety and Compliance from Dave Whitefield on Vimeo. … [Read more...] about Safety and Compliance
Are the Cracks in Orthodox Safety Becoming Chasms?
Are the Cracks in Orthodox Safety Becoming Chasms? My Worldview As with all the things I write and talk about, this comes through my own worldview, which is a social psychological one. I believe that we are fundamentally connected and social creatures, and almost everything depends on … [Read more...] about Are the Cracks in Orthodox Safety Becoming Chasms?
I’m Concerned That We Can’t See The Safety Forest For The Safety Trees
Acknowledgement- This article draws heavily on the concepts of Dr Rob Long, and particularly his work on safety needing to take a transdisciplinary approach. A great article on this can be viewed here. I don't think it's a stretch to suggest that within our industry there are a few … [Read more...] about I’m Concerned That We Can’t See The Safety Forest For The Safety Trees
Building Cultural Maturity in Safety and Risk
Building Cultural Maturity in Safety and Risk Introduction – The Culture Paradox Culture represents a paradox for many organisations. While most people can readily comment on it (it’s good/bad, supportive/toxic, weak/strong), few can meaningfully define it. Common attempts tend to be vague and … [Read more...] about Building Cultural Maturity in Safety and Risk