• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

SafetyRisk.net

Humanising Safety and Embracing Real Risk

  • Home
    • About
      • Privacy Policy
      • Contact
  • FREE
    • Slogans
      • Researchers Reveal the Top 10 Most Effective Safety Slogans Of All Time
      • When Slogans Don’t Work
      • CLASSIC, FAMOUS and INFAMOUS SAFETY QUOTES
      • 500 OF THE BEST WORKPLACE HEALTH and SAFETY SLOGANS 2023
      • CATCHY and FUNNY SAFETY SLOGANS FOR THE WORKPLACE
      • COVID-19 (Coronavirus, Omicron) Health and Safety Slogans and Quotes for the Workplace
      • Safety Acronyms
      • You know Where You Can Stick Your Safety Slogans
      • Sayings, Slogans, Aphorisms and the Discourse of Simple
      • Spanish Safety Slogans – Consignas de seguridad
      • Safety Slogans List
      • Road Safety Slogans 2023
      • How to write your own safety slogans
      • Why Are Safety Slogans Important
      • Safety Slogans Don’t Save Lives
      • 40 Free Safety Slogans For the Workplace
      • Safety Slogans for Work
    • FREE SAFETY eBOOKS
    • Free Hotel and Resort Risk Management Checklist
    • FREE DOWNLOADS
    • TOP 50
    • FREE RISK ASSESSMENT FORMS
    • Find a Safety Consultant
    • Free Safety Program Documents
    • Psychology Of Safety
    • Safety Ideas That Work
    • HEALTH and SAFETY MANUALS
    • FREE SAFE WORK METHOD STATEMENT RESOURCES
    • Whats New In Safety
    • FUN SAFETY STUFF
    • Health and Safety Training
    • SAFETY COURSES
    • Safety Training Needs Analysis and Matrix
    • Top 20 Safety Books
    • This Toaster Is Hot
    • Free Covid-19 Toolbox Talks
    • Download Page – Please Be Patient With Larger Files…….
    • SAFETY IMAGES, Photos, Unsafe Pictures and Funny Fails
    • How to Calculate TRIFR, LTIFR and Other Health and Safety Indicators
    • Download Safety Moments from Human Resources Secretariat
  • Social Psychology Of Risk
    • What is Psychological Health and Safety at Work?
    • Safety Psychology Terminology
    • Some Basics on Social Psychology & Risk
    • Understanding The Social Psychology of Risk – Prof Karl E. Weick
    • The Psychology of Leadership in Risk
    • Conducting a Psychology and Culture Safety Walk
    • The Psychology of Conversion – 20 Tips to get Started
    • Understanding The Social Psychology of Risk And Safety
    • Psychology and safety
    • The Psychology of Safety
    • Hot Toaster
    • TALKING RISK VIDEOS
    • WHAT IS SAFETY
    • THE HOT TOASTER
    • THE ZERO HARM DEBATE
    • SEMIOTICS
    • LEADERSHIP
  • Dr Long Posts
    • ALL POSTS
    • Learning Styles Matter
    • There is no Hierarchy of Controls
    • Scaffolding, Readiness and ZPD in Learning
    • What Can Safety Learn From Playschool?
    • Presentation Tips for Safety People
    • Dialogue Do’s and Don’ts
    • It’s Only a Symbol
    • Ten Cautions About Safety Checklists
    • Zero is Unethical
    • First Report on Zero Survey
    • There is No Objectivity, Deal With it!
  • THEMES
    • Risk Myths
    • Safety Myths
    • Safety Culture Silences
    • Safety Culture
    • Psychological Health and Safety
    • Zero Harm
    • Due Diligence
  • Free Learning
    • Introduction to SPoR – Free
    • FREE RISK and SAFETY EBOOKS
    • FREE ebook – Guidance for the beginning OHS professional
    • Free EBook – Effective Safety Management Systems
    • Free EBook – Lessons I Have Learnt
  • Psychological Safety
    • What is Psychological Health and Safety at Work?
    • Managing psychosocial hazards at work
    • Psychological Safety – has it become the next Maslow’s hammer?
    • What is Psychosocial Safety
    • Psychological Safety Slogans and Quotes
    • What is Psychological Safety?
    • Understanding Psychological Terminology
    • Psycho-Social and Socio-Psychological, What’s the Difference?
    • Build a Psychologically Safe Workplace by Taking Risks and Analysing Failures
    • It’s not weird – it’s a psychological safety initiative!
You are here: Home / Robert Long / Human Dymensions Newsletter–Feb 14

Human Dymensions Newsletter–Feb 14

February 17, 2014 by Dr Rob Long 4 Comments

Book Launch – Real Risk, Human Discerning and Risk

The launch of Dr Long’s third book Real Risk, Human Discerning and Risk on 12 February 2014 was a great success. A gathering of 70 people at the Australian Catholic University North Sydney heard a number of speakers present on the latest book and the Post Graduate Program on the Social Psychology of Risk being delivered at ACU.

The evening commenced with a welcome from Brad Markham, the Corporate Development Manager for Executive Education at the University. Brad is the coordinator of the Post Graduate Program. The theme for the occasion was Are You Risk Intelligent?  Rob explained the link between discerning risk and risk intelligence in his presentation.

You can purchase your copy of Real Risk, Human Discerning and Risk here, or the discounted two or three book deal here. The following pictures and captions help explain the event.

Advanced Notice – Melbourne Book Launch – 9 April at ACU

The University proposes to also launch the book in Melbourne at 4pm on 9 April at ACU – 115 Victoria Parade Fitzroy. If you are interested in attending please send your request to Brad Markam and he will assure your place at this event.

foreword for the book and

Brad welcomes everyone and explains the connection between the University, the book and the Post Graduate Program. Now with students from Austria, New Zealand and interest from Canada.

Garry Mansfield from Toga Development reads out a greeting from James Kell. James wrote the foreword to the book and sent a greeting from St Martins. Check out James Kell’s wonderful adventures and photography at http://www.jameskell.com/

David Fitzgerald GM HSEQ from Jemena launches the book. Thanks David for your candour and wonderful stories about making sense of risk.

Rob welcomes his brother Graham, the CEO of the Wayside Chapel Kings Cross and introduces Graham’s book and work.

Rob responds to David’s introduction and tells a story from the book about the Zarsaberries. The covers of each of the three books and their significance was also discussed as well special thanks to key people on the Human Dymensions and University teams.

Some of the gathering in discussion and enjoying the hospitality of the University.

Scott, Rob and Caroline discuss the Post Graduate Program, Rob and Scott are current students. Rob is also an associate of Human Dymensions and Director of Dolphin Safety Solutions.

y

Gabrielle Carlton with Mary McGuiness. Gab is Director of The Safety FIRM and also an associate of Human Dymensions. Mary is Director of the Type Institute and delivers a wide variety of training in personality and leadership. Mary’s book You’ve Got Personality has sold 100,000 copies.

Celia, Executive Assistant at Human Dymensions, selling copies of all three books and sorting out transactions and contacts.

Rob signing the book for Caroline.

More book signing and introductions and discussion of Human Dymensions work and the Post Graduate Program.

Tony, Nadia and Stephanie enjoying the hospitality of the University.

Post Graduate Program Update – Not Too Late to Enrol

All is progressing well in the Post Graduate program in the Social Psychology of Risk. The first group (that commenced in 2013) is currently working through Unit 2, Leadership and the Social Psychology of Risk whilst a second group starts Unit 1, An Introduction to the Social Psychology of Risk from 10-14 March.

Quite a number of both groups have indicated that they wish to proceed with the Program to obtain their Masters in the Social Psychology of Risk. You need not commit to the full Master’s Program but would also get great value out of even one unit or by auditing (non-assessed attendance) the program.

It’s not too late to join in the March group but you will have to be quick. Details of the Grad Certificate component are located here including unit outlines and download of the University flyer.

Overseas Students and Possilities

The program has enrolled its first student who is flying from Austria to attend the March face to face Unit 1. ACU is also in discussion with Universities in Perth and New Zealand in response to demand to deliver the program in those locations. If you are an potential overseas student and have an interest in the Program (including in person and online units), please contact Brad Markam.

If would attend the program if provided in Auckland or Perth, please indicate your commitment to Brad Markham.

Corporate Packages – Leadership in the Social Psychology of Risk

A special package and discount rate can be arranged for an organisation or corporate groups. What this means is that Dr Long and his team come to your organisation and undertake the lecture and study program in-house. All units in the corporate format are assessed in situ with full University accreditation.

For more information or any questions about program options, please email Brad Markham or Dr Long and they will be more than pleased to explain requirements, enrolment or logistics. A video promotion of the Program can be viewed here.

New Video Series On Line

Since last newsletter several new videos have been developed and uploaded to the Human Dymensions Vimeo site. The focus of the videos is on common questions about risk, safety and security and the social psychology of risk. The new series is structured in an interview format with Gabrielle Carlton and Rob Sams interviewing Dr Long. The first three video topics are on Due Diligence, Measurement and Risk Mitigation.  All the videos are free to download and may be helpful in discussion/learning sessions for professionals and practitioners in risk, safety and security.

You can access the Human Dymensions Youtube site here.

Conferences in 2014 – Auckland and Sydney

For those interested in hearing Dr Long speak on the social psychology of risk there are two opportunities in 2014. The first is on 28 May in Sydney, further details can be obtained here. The second is in New Zealand on 10-12 September in Auckland for OHSIG. Dr Long will be speaking at both conferences on the social psychology of risk and trends in risk and safety. At both conferences Dr Long will also be offering workshops.

Research into the Labelling Effect

Work by Foroni and Rothbart (2012) demonstrate the psychological power of labelling. What the research indicates is that labelling sticks. The research shows that once something has been labelled it is difficult for people to unlearn their attachment to that label, so even when the label is taken away and replaced with a new label, people remain attached to a previous label.

Labelling bias takes time to unlearn and considerable time for detachment, for example, if an organisation were to use a label such as ‘zero harm’ to describe its safety regime, regardless of the tyrannical nature of the regime, a strong attachment develops even when people don’t like that label. Once the label becomes ingrained it is hard to shift, especially when the label is accompanied by an investment in ego and financial resources. This is why the priming of safety mantras, goals and language are so important. If people learn a dysfunctional sense of comfort with a dysfunctional label, they still attach to it and resist conversion even when the label is taken away or replaced.

Foroni, F., and Rothbart, M., (2013)  Abandoning a label doesn’t make it disappear: The perseverance of labelling effects, Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 49 (2013) 126-131

Competition – Find the Cat

This is a tough challenge and not for the faint hearted. The first five to return by email (address to admin@humandymensions.com) the correct location of the cat in this photo will win a free copy of Rob’s third book, Real Risk Human Discerning and Risk. As a guide, when each competition is launched the prizes go off in less than an hour of sending the Newsletter.

For more information on perception and visual misthinking go here.

For a bit more fun, make the head of Richard Wiseman disappear here.

Research into Decision Making and the Ambivalent Mind

Research by Rees, Rothman, Lehavy and Sanchez-Burks (2013) shows that ambivalence increases judgment accuracy. Emotional ambivalence is being caught between certainty and uncertainty, where doubt, faith and confidence tussle with each other in making a decision. This should not be confused with scepticism which is the systematic ideology of doubt but rather ambivalence is the capability to entertain doubt in the face of tendencies to overconfidence.

Some make think that confidence in decision making is a strength, even when that decision turns out to be wrong. This is the old myth that any decision is better than no decision. The research shows that not rushing into decision making ends up being more successful than decision making that is quick and less considered. More on this topic can be explored by studying the nature of heuristics, automaticity and the unconscious in decision making. A recent blog by Dr Long may be helpful.

Rees, Rothman, Lehavy and Sanchez-Burks (2013)  The ambivalent mind can be a wise mind: Emotional ambivalence increases judgment accuracy.  Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. 49 p. 360–367

New Training Programs in 2014

Creating a Culture in Due Diligence

Due Diligence is about culture. The six essentials of Due Diligence are difficult to measure and are more about attitude, values and belief than systems and bureaucracy. One can collect many folders of systems and hazard registers as possible but these do not demonstrate Due Diligence. This program looks at the 6 essentials from a cultural perspective and provides participants with tools that support the cultural foundations of Due Diligence and the values and attitudes required to be effective in risk and safety. These are the 6 aspects of Due Diligence according to the legislation:

  1. Acquire & keep up to date knowledge of WHS
    2. Understand the nature of their business operations, hazards & risks
    3. Use appropriate resources to eliminate or minimize risk
    4. Have appropriate processes for receiving & considering information & respond in a timely manner
    5. Implement processes for compliance
    6. Verify that risks & hazards are being appropriately controlled

The following questions serve as a guide to the nature of the program:

  • How does one assess diligence in keeping up to date in knowledge?
  • What kind of knowledge is valuable and what safety knowledge is of value?
  • How can one understand organisations, leadership and management of risk without a social psychological understanding of operations and risk?
  • What resources are helpful in tackling risk? What are the trade offs and down side of risk aversion? Can one be duely diligent if one is dumbed down to thinking about risk? Is the best compliant parrot able to express Due Diligence? How is Due Diligence connected to discerning risk and risk intelligence?
  • How is compliance motivated? What are the essentials of motivation? Is the process or ownership the most important attribute of Due Diligence?
  • How are controls verified? How can one identify hazards are risks fully without a good working knowledge of culture and the social psychology of risk?

This program is a two day program is designed for managers and leaders.

SEEK Program

The SEEK Program is a two day program on accident investigation from a social psychological perspective. The Program looks at the role and bias of the investigator and the biases of popular investigation systems. SEEK provides participants and investigators with a much greater awareness of self, subjectivities, biases, personality involvement, cultural influences and limitations of systems in investigating events. Participants leave the Program with a greater balance in methods and processes in questioning and interrogating people, events and interactions.

iTHINK Therefore I Write

This is a special program developed by Craig from the Human Dymensions team and helps people better articulate and translate ideas into text. So much of what we write requires good thinking and this course provides participants with tools to think more effectively and improve writing.

How to Design and Deliver Better Inductions

This course introduces participants to the fundamentals of instructional design and how to make inductions that are engaging and learning in focus. Skills in curriculum design, presentation, activity design and resource development are key outcomes of the program.

Feature Article – Practical Essentials in Learning

The following seven conditions and dispositions are essential if learning is to occur. The best way to develop learning is to foster a climate and context for discovery and ownership. This is best done through facilitation of experiences rather than ‘telling’. Experiential learning such as role play or simulation are most effective way for people to learn by feeling what you want them to know. This is why practice field work, trial and error situations and ‘dummy runs’ are so helpful. Here are the seven essentials for learning:

(a)  Trust

There can be no change, development or transition without the establishment of trust.  To establish trust takes significant time and skill.  The emphasis here is on relationships, what Martin Buber called the I-Thou in meeting.  In the social-psychological approach the development of a learning and dynamic community is central to the establishment of trust.

(b)  Climate (Ethos, Place and Space)

The rate and embracing of change will be limited unless people come into an atmosphere (climate) which generates trust, engagement, motivation, recognition, resilience and learning.  A climate of acceptance and respect is foundational to establishing a positive climate where people can make mistakes, bounce back (resilience) and learn.

(c)  Structure

Change relies upon a structure (providing a degree of certainty, security and meaning) which demonstrates through the methodology of organisation that people are valued and supported. A structure which disempowers people and limits freedoms and choice is essentially de-motivating.

(d)  A Change Culture

The essence of all change requires the inclination to change, the "want" or "will" to change.  Recognition and reward in a measurable form are critical to this process, as is methodology and how people are engaged.

(e)  Engagement

The key to engagement is acceptance of "the other" and valuing people’s contribution despite circumstance and history.

(f)  Meaning and Purpose

People will not change unless they see "sense" in the change and some positive outcome for themselves.  The change management process needs to be a "sensemaking" process which is intertwined with other key change elements such as trust, motivation and engagement.  It is meaning and purpose which drives the development of resilience.

(g)  Ability and Capability

Change will not be effective unless the change agent has the ability to drive and direct change (without overpowering others) and unless the employee has the capability/capacity to change.

CONTACTS

If any of the stories, experiments, research, resources or programs contained in this newsletter are of interest, please email admin@humandymensions.com

If you would like a demonstration of Human Dymensions programs please contact Rob on 0424547115.

www.humandymensions.com

Blog: https://safetyrisk.net/psychology-of-safety/

  • Bio
  • Latest Posts
  • More about Rob
Dr Rob Long

Dr Rob Long

Expert in Social Psychology, Principal & Trainer at Human Dymensions
Dr Rob Long

Latest posts by Dr Rob Long (see all)

  • Welcome to the Nightmare, Safety Creates its Own Minefield (as usual) - January 23, 2023
  • Getting the Balance Right in Tackling Risk - January 23, 2023
  • What is SPoR? - January 23, 2023
  • How Bias Inhibits Learning in Safety - January 23, 2023
  • Afraid to Let Go of What Doesn’t Work in Safety - January 17, 2023
Dr Rob Long
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.

Please share our posts

  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: Robert Long, Social Psychology of Risk Tagged With: humam dymensions, Newsletter

Reader Interactions

Do you have any thoughts? Please share them below Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

Search and Discover More on this Site

Never miss a post - Subscribe via Email

Enter your email address and join other discerning risk and safety people who receive notifications of new posts by email

Join 7,495 other subscribers

Introduction to SPOR – FREE!!

SAFETY MYTHS SERIES

The Mythic Symbology of Safety

Posture Myths and Holistic Ergonomics

Safety Mythbusters

Don’t Be Emotional! Another Safety Myth

Tackling the Challenge of Heuristics in Safety

The Myth of Normal

NEW! Free Download

Please take our 2 minute zero survey

Recent Comments

  • Rob long on Welcome to the Nightmare, Safety Creates its Own Minefield (as usual)
  • Matt Thorne on Welcome to the Nightmare, Safety Creates its Own Minefield (as usual)
  • Anonymous on Welcome to the Nightmare, Safety Creates its Own Minefield (as usual)
  • Jason on How Bias Inhibits Learning in Safety
  • Rob Long on How Bias Inhibits Learning in Safety
  • Admin on How Bias Inhibits Learning in Safety
  • Rob Long on 400,000 Free Downloads
  • Gustavo Saralegui on 400,000 Free Downloads
  • Rob long on To Err is Human, You Better Believe It
  • Wynand on To Err is Human, You Better Believe It
  • Rob Long on To Err is Human, You Better Believe It
  • simon cassin on To Err is Human, You Better Believe It
  • Rob Long on Records of safety activities: evidence of safety or non-compliance?
  • Matt Thorne on Free Online Workshops
  • Rob long on No Good Reason to Follow Reason
  • Brian Edwin Darlington on No Good Reason to Follow Reason
  • Risk Diversity on Book Launch – For the Love of Zero – in Portuguese
  • Rob Long on No Good Reason to Follow Reason
  • Risk Culture Builder on No Good Reason to Follow Reason
  • Mark Taylor on All Things Must Pass in Risk

FREE eBOOK DOWNLOADS

Footer

VIRAL POST – The Risk Matrix Myth

Top Posts & Pages. Sad that most are so dumb but this is what safety luves

  • Free Safety Moments and Toolbox Talk Examples, Tips and Resources
  • Road Safety Slogans 2023
  • 500 OF THE BEST WORKPLACE HEALTH and SAFETY SLOGANS 2023
  • Download Safety Moments from Human Resources Secretariat
  • Welcome to the Nightmare, Safety Creates its Own Minefield (as usual)
  • How Bias Inhibits Learning in Safety
  • What is SPoR?
  • Safety Acronyms
  • 15 Safety Precautions When Working With Electricity
  • How to Calculate TRIFR, LTIFR and Other Health and Safety Indicators

Recent Posts

  • Welcome to the Nightmare, Safety Creates its Own Minefield (as usual)
  • Getting the Balance Right in Tackling Risk
  • What is SPoR?
  • How Bias Inhibits Learning in Safety
  • Afraid to Let Go of What Doesn’t Work in Safety
  • When You Don’t Know What to do in Safety, Have Another Blitz!!!
  • Gloves and Glasses Compliance
  • A Case of Desensitisation – What Would You Do?
  • How to Leave the Safety Industry
  • The Mythic Symbology of Safety
  • Dark Waters, The True Story of DuPont and Zero
  • 400,000 Free Downloads
  • Am I stupid? I didn’t think of that…
  • Don’t Look Now Safety, Your Metaphor is Showing
  • Ratio Delusions and Heinrich’s Hoax
  • To Err is Human, You Better Believe It
  • Culture as a Wicked Problem, for Safety
  • Safety Leadership Training
  • Cultural Orientation in Risk
  • The Stanford Experiment and The Social Psychology of Risk
  • Objectivity, Audits and Attribution When Calculating Risk
  • Records of safety activities: evidence of safety or non-compliance?
  • Zero, The Seeking of Infinity
  • Safety Leadership Essentials
  • What Can Indiana Jones Tell Us About Culture
  • Safety as a Worldview
  • The Loathing of Limits
  • Culture Cannot be Framed Through Safety
  • Free Online Workshops
  • Safety Culture–Hudson’s Model
  • Book Launch – For the Love of Zero – in Portuguese
  • Advancing Backwards in Safety
  • The ‘Noise’ of Safety, Silence and Practicing of Mindfulness
  • All Things Must Pass in Risk
  • I’m just not that into safety anymore
  • Sticks and Stones and the Nonsense of Zero Harm
  • Courting Infallibility in Safety
  • Indicators of Risk
  • What Can Safety Learn From Playschool?
  • No Good Reason to Follow Reason
  • Just as Well Culture Doesn’t Listen to Safety
  • What Are the Benefits Of Social Psychology of Risk?
  • Short-Sighted Lenses by Safety
  • Is Safety the Empire of Non-Sense?
  • No Wonder Safety is Confused About Culture
  • Building High Performance Safety Cultures
  • Understanding iCue, a Visual, Verbal, Semiotic Method for Tackling Risk
  • On Culture and Safety
  • Focus on ‘Meeting’ people, not legislation – a path to risk maturity
  • The Moral Harm of the Zero Cult

VIRAL POST!!! HOW TO QUIT THE SAFETY INDUSTRY

FEATURED POSTS

Safety and Non-Neuroscience

The Paradox of Positivism for Safety

Acknowledge Trade-offs to Make Better Inquiries

Human Dymensions Newsletter September 2016

20 Cognitive Biases That Affect Risk Decision Making

No Hope for Safety

Safety People Don’t ‘Save Lives’

ACTOR + ACTION + TIME = EVENT

A Philosophy of Safety

The Dance of Death and Randomness

No Soft Skills in Safety

Intuition and Safety

Fooled by Certainty

Abduction in Risk and Safety

Push or Pull – It’s Not Your Fault – It’s a Norman Door!

C. G. Jung on Risk and Safety

The Heart of Wisdom at Covid Time

Numerology and Psychic Numbing

Speak Up, Reporting and Trust in Safety

Safety is an Art

Challenges and Opportunities for Learning in a Crisis

Second Group Completes Graduate Certificate in Psychology of Risk

Understanding Habit, Habituation and Change

What Are Observation-Conversation Skills?

Safety For the Common Good

What Does SPoR Do?

Doing Something Bad Well

Learning from people who we don’t agree with

The De-Ethicization of the Object in Safety

Predictably Arational, Safety as a Superstition

The Conundrum in Discerning Risk

Psycho-Social and Socio-Psychological, What’s the Difference?

What is a Safety and Risk ‘Thinking Group’?

Regulation Madness

Gestures in Risk Management – A Podcast

What Does Misinformation Do in Safety?

Test Your Reaction Times

Talking Risk Video–The Unconscious In Communication

No Evidence for the Religion of Zero

How Workers Really Make Decisions

More Posts from this Category

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address and join other discerning risk and safety people who receive notifications of new posts by email

Join 7,495 other subscribers

How we pay for the high cost of running of this site – try it for free on your site

WHAT IS PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY?

What is Psychological Safety at Work?