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

SafetyRisk.net

Humanising Health and Safety and 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
      • BIGGEST COLLECTION of 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
    • Psychosocial Safety
    • Resiliencing
    • 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
  • Psychosocial Safety
    • What is Psychosocial Safety
    • 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 / No Soft Skills in Safety

No Soft Skills in Safety

April 6, 2019 by Dr Rob Long Leave a Comment

No Soft Skills in Safety

imageWhen we think about the power of language to shape and influence the human unconscious, we know that words matter. This is why we need to be careful with the use of the word ‘safety’. Unfortunately, many people now associate scepticism, cynicism and negativity with the word ‘safety’. The recent use of the word ‘safety’ to justify the demolition of two perfectly good stadiums is an example. (https://www.google.com.au/amp/amp.abc.net.au/article/9187608)

It seems when you want to mask real political motive or distract attention from what really matters, just invoke the word ‘safety’. Soon everyone will be in a tizzy distressing about petty risk and such a strategy works. There’s nothing like instilling panic in a population by falsely invoking the word ‘safety’.

So, we can see how language can make a difference. Just mention the word ‘asbestos’ when needed and panic sets in, even when there is no asbestos on site. This is what the word ‘zero’ does, it infused the unconscious with minimalism and pretty risk. Soon, every pissy petty risk on site is magnified. Just trot out another mindless safety slogan and amplify the risk, even when it isn’t there.

Of course, the motivation to amplify petty risk enables power to those who wield it. There’s nothing quite like a safety advisor driving panic to draw power to position. Especially when there are threats to ‘shut down the job’ or PIN a site. Unfortunately, this is common archetype of Safety. There is nothing quite like the safety crusader wandering around site with tin snips cutting untagged power chords. What a method to switch everyone off to safety.

Wouldn’t it be good if Safety were more aware of the dynamics of language and the power of words?

I always get irritated when I hear ‘people skills’ described as ‘soft skills’. The truth is there is nothing easy or ‘soft’ about tackling the challenges of people and risk. Indeed, people skills require greater intelligence and sophistication than any other dynamic in safety.

If anything, people skills are tough. More so, the safety curriculum doesn’t even address people skills. What a strange industry that has a Body of Knowledge that has a 75% focus on objects!

Whenever I am requested to come into an organisation regarding safety it is always to help with people skills. Whenever, I am asked to investigate an incident, the most common element is a failure in people skills. Why is it that Safety is so focused on objects and so poor with subjects? The answer can be found in safety language and symbols. It’s so easy to be brutal to others when your key word is zero!

I never use the description ‘soft skills’, such language should be eliminated from the safety sector. It should never be used regarding supervision, management or leadership. It should never be used when tackling the challenges of people and risk. As if we need any more pejorative language in safety!

If you are interested in people skills there are amazing resources on the market, you just won’t find them in safety. Here are a couple of links to get you started.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2013/11/15/the-20-people-skills-you-need-to-succeed-at-work/

https://www.simonandschuster.com.au/books/People-Skills/Robert-Bolton/9780731800315

  • 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)

  • The Behaviourist Human and Human Being - December 2, 2023
  • There is no Fast and Slow Thinking, Nor Quick Learning - November 28, 2023
  • Fragility, Resilience and AntiFragility in Risk - November 28, 2023
  • Why Zero Cannot Understand the Basics of Safety – ALARP and Due Diligence - November 26, 2023
  • No Room for Ethics in a Zero ‘Mindset’ - November 26, 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, Safe Behaviours, Social Psychology of Risk Tagged With: soft skills

Reader Interactions

Do you have any thoughts? Please share them belowCancel 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 7,521 other subscribers.

FREE eBOOK DOWNLOADS

Recent Comments

  • Rob Long on The Behaviourist Human and Human Being
  • Rob Long on The Behaviourist Human and Human Being
  • rosa antonia carrillo on The Behaviourist Human and Human Being
  • rosa antonia carrillo on The Behaviourist Human and Human Being
  • Rob Long on Semiotic Methods to Help Tackle Risk
  • BRENT R CHARLTON on Semiotic Methods to Help Tackle Risk
  • Rob Long on Semiotic Methods to Help Tackle Risk
  • Jason Martell on Semiotic Methods to Help Tackle Risk
  • Rob Long on Critical Sources of Harm Ignored by Safety=Zero
  • simon p cassin on Critical Sources of Harm Ignored by Safety=Zero
  • Matt Thorne on Book Launch – SPoR and Semiotics, Methods to Tackle Risk
  • Rob Long on A Book to Help Get You Started on Cultural Improvement in Risk
  • Matt Thorne on Book Launch – SPoR and Semiotics, Methods to Tackle Risk
  • Peter Saaman on Book Launch – SPoR and Semiotics, Methods to Tackle Risk
  • Rob Long on Book Launch – SPoR and Semiotics, Methods to Tackle Risk
  • Brian on Having Meetings Without ‘Meeting’
  • Shannon Barter on Embracing Risk–Video
  • Brent Charlton on Wo-Men in Safety
  • Robert Long on Wo-Men in Safety
  • Need to Stay employed on Embracing Risk–Video

RECOMMENDED READING

viral post – iso 45003 and what it cannot do

Introduction to SPOR – FREE!!

Psychosocial Safety and Mental Health Series

Don’t be Obsessed with Safety

A Guide to Psychosocial Safety Skills

Mindfulness is NOT Brain-fullness and other Psychosocial Myths

Have You Had a Drink of SafeTea?

If You Can’t Manage Fallibility, You’ll Never Tackle Psychosocial Health

Embodiment, Myth and Psychosocial Risk

7 Golden Rules that are NOT Golden

Why Zero Vision Can Never Tackle Mental Health

If Psychosocial Health Matters, Stop Hot Desking

Effective Strategies in Mental Health at Work

More Posts from this Category

NEW! Free Download

Please take our 2 minute zero survey

Footer

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

  • Christmas Safety Messages, Toolbox Talks, Safety Moments and Slogans
  • The Behaviourist Human and Human Being
  • Culture is NOT ‘What We Do Around Here!’
  • Road Safety Slogans 2023
  • Free Safety Moments and Toolbox Talk Examples, Tips and Resources
  • FREE RISK ASSESSMENT FORMS, CHECKISTS, REGISTERS, TEMPLATES and APPS
  • CATCHY and FUNNY SAFETY SLOGANS FOR THE WORKPLACE
  • SAFETY IMAGES, Photos, Unsafe Pictures and Funny Fails
  • Never ask a Safety Person if they believe in Santa
  • Free Risk Assessment Template in Excel Format

Recent Posts

  • The Behaviourist Human and Human Being
  • There is no Fast and Slow Thinking, Nor Quick Learning
  • Fragility, Resilience and AntiFragility in Risk
  • The Sponsors of Zero Are
  • Why Zero Cannot Understand the Basics of Safety – ALARP and Due Diligence
  • No Room for Ethics in a Zero ‘Mindset’
  • Zero Harm and the Fear of Failure
  • Semiotic Methods to Help Tackle Risk
  • Top 10 Simple Things You Can Do To Dramatically Improve Safety
  • SPoR and Semiotics, A Conversation – Free Download
  • The Traffic in Zero Only Goes One Way
  • Critical Sources of Harm Ignored by Safety=Zero
  • Zero and a Culture of Denial
  • Shaping Change to Zero
  • A Book to Help Get You Started on Cultural Improvement in Risk
  • Risk Intelligence and What to Do About It – A Video
  • Feel Good Safety and Un-Ethical Ego-Centrism
  • Book Launch – SPoR and Semiotics, Methods to Tackle Risk
  • When Zero Doesn’t Work, Don’t Change Anything
  • Having Meetings Without ‘Meeting’
  • Leaders in Safety are NOT Gurus
  • Method and Message Congruence in Risk
  • Guilt and Shame, The By-Products of Safety-Zero
  • Update on Zero Survey, Just believe!
  • Zero is NOT the Only Acceptable Number
  • Don’t be Obsessed with Safety
  • Zero Ideology as Maximum Offense, Zero Benefit
  • Embracing Risk–Video
  • Hey CEO? Does Zero Apply to You?
  • OHS Voices from the Resistance – Rosa Carrillo
  • A Guide to Psychosocial Safety Skills
  • A Guide to Tokenism in Ethics in Safety
  • The Questions You Ask in Safety are Showing?
  • Introduction to SPoR, SEEK and Culture
  • What is Safety? Video
  • Understanding Motivation is Essential to Understanding Risk
  • Semiotic and Poetic Literacy for Safety
  • Speak Up, but Don’t Tackle the Cause
  • KISS Safety in a VUCA World
  • OHS Voices From the Resistance – Book review
  • Wo-Men in Safety
  • SPoR Podcasts Back Up and Running
  • What is Semiotics? – Video
  • Finding Balance in SPoR
  • Zero as Extremist Ideology
  • Understanding Cults and Safety/Zero
  • Dot to Dot Safety for Non-Professionals
  • Two New Videos from Novellus
  • Mindfulness is NOT Brain-fullness and other Psychosocial Myths
  • The Safety Belief System

VIRAL POST!!! HOW TO QUIT THE SAFETY INDUSTRY

FEATURED POSTS

Human Factors is Never About Humans

Thinking About Harm

Reality vs Theory, The Binary Divide

Holistic Well Being in Risk Differently

Workshop – Understanding Culture Tackling Risk

Is Safetyism Destroying a Generation?

The Risk Aversion Delusion

Investigations and Truth Telling

Safety as Faith Healing

Hoarding as a Psychosis Against Uncertainty

The Different Levels of Wrongness!

Dumb Ways to Discourse, a Failed Approach in Safety

ACTOR + ACTION + TIME = EVENT

What is the Mind of Safety?

Gesture in Risk Matters

Understanding Safety Myths

Podcast – Dr Rob Long With John Morlan and The Risk Matrix

WARNING: Not Your Typical Safety Nonsense

Question for the Safety Thinkers

I am a Spreadsheet King

Safety as a Patriarchal Activity

The Challenge of the Consciousness Taboo

Utopian Language and the Quest for Perfection in Safety

The Social Psychology of Distance-Safety

Science and Acts of Faith in Safety

A Culture of Care (and sackings…)

Safety’s Garden of Eden Complex

Data Cannot Drive Vision

Safety for True Believers

The Domino Myth in Safety

Zero ‘Arm

Safety and The Sunk Cost Fallacy

Balance in Risk and Safety

Ten Risk and Safety Program Essentials

Zero Discourse and Perfectionism

I’m Not Playing Any More

Safety Myopia

The Shaping of SPoR Intelligence, Skills and Competence in Risk

Essential Preparation for a Safety Job

History and Safety

More Posts from this Category

VIRAL POST – The Risk Matrix Myth

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 7,521 other subscribers.

WHAT IS PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY?

What is Psychological Safety at Work?


WHAT IS PSYCHOSOCIAL SAFETY