Rhetoric and Reality in Safety Once upon a time the word ‘rhetoric’ was equated with philosophy and the art of persuasion. It has now degenerated into meaning little more than eloquence with words or linguistic style. It has lost its meaning of being about genuine thinking and purpose. More so, these days rhetoric often refers […]
Communication and Consultation
Framing Your World
Framing Your World In some of our education programs we focus on messaging. Messaging is what lies underneath language and what is embedded in discourse. Sometimes the way we ‘frame’ language and ‘prime’ our audience contradicts the very message we want to send. This is often not intentional but is a hidden by-product focusing too […]
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The Art of the Open Question
The Art of the Open Question One of the big challenges in communication workshops we do is helping develop the art of open questioning. It is important at the outset in this discussion not confuse the skill of asking a question as a ‘technique’ with the disposition of ‘suspending agenda’ and relinquishing control. If you […]
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The Language of Priorities
The Language of Priorities I spoke to a Safety Manager in a construction company recently who comes from one of these ‘safety is our number one priority’ organisations. He told me the reality was that: ‘concrete is our number one priority’. All semiotics have a profound affect on the human unconscious. Words, images, signs, gestures, […]
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Making Language in Safety Meaningful
Making Language in Safety Meaningful Kakutani (The Death of Truth) helps us understand the power of confusion and doubt with the strategy of ‘fake news’ in the common era (https://www.amazon.com/Death-Truth-Notes-Falsehood-Trump/dp/0525574824 ). This was captured splendidly in the documentary Merchants of Doubt (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqiCLuOtXts&pbjreload=10). Merchants of Doubt should be compulsory viewing for all safety people. One doesn’t […]
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Your Words Matter
Your Words Matter By Phil La Duke and first published here: https://philladuke.wordpress.com/2018/06/30/your-words-matter/ My blog was already written, locked down and in the vault. My time is at a premium, with a full-time job, two magazine deadlines looming, and a book in post production, so I’m not to inclined to start over fresh with a new […]
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The Impact of Curiosity vs. Compliance in Safety
The Impact of Curiosity vs. Compliance in Safety Insightful article by Jenny Krasny first published here but deserves a more discerning audience than the LinkedIn circle This post discusses the idea of progress in safety vs. a process of dehumanisation and, the changes we have seen over time. You’re welcome to skip ahead to the […]
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FREE Risky Conversations Videos and Talking Book
FREE Risky Conversations Videos and Talking Book All videos in the Risky Conversation series are now downloadable. Since the publication of book 5 in the series on the Social Psychology of Risk – Risky Conversations, The Law, Social Psychology and Risk, we have gradually released the accompanying videos and they have proven to be immensely […]
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I Do Not Understand…!
I Do Not Understand…! How can we understand? Why do we feel the need to understand? What is it that we think we understand? Gina was sharing her story, opening up about a situation where she didn’t feel appreciated. She was talking about her feelings of being betrayed after other people had taken what were […]
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A Better Language for Risk and Safety
A Better Language for Risk and Safety Dekker (Safety Differently, 2015, p. vi-xi) calls for a new language in risk and safety and he is so right. We know that language is the bedrock of all culture and that the way we speak shapes the way we organize. Weick (The Social Psychology of Organising, 1979, […]
