Subjecting and Objecting About Risk Rob’s new Book: “Following-Leading in Risk” is a MUST READ if you think you already know about Leadership. CHECK IT OUT I read with amusement the constant projection of safety activities as objective. This is one of the great myths of behaviourism (and … [Read more...] about Subjecting and Objecting About Risk
Robert Long
Sexy Curves and the Paradox of Risk
Sexy Curves and the Paradox of Risk Rob’s new Book: “Following-Leading in Risk” is a MUST READ if you think you already know about Leadership. CHECK IT OUT One of the modern myths of mechanistic safety is that injury rates have been coming down for the last 100 years. Presenters love to parade the … [Read more...] about Sexy Curves and the Paradox of Risk
Sayings, Slogans, Aphorisms and the Discourse of Simple
'Tis the season to be decorating the workplace with safety slogans so I thought I should republish this classic: Sayings, Slogans, Aphorisms and the Discourse of Simple One of the most annoying things about social media, especially Linkedin (as its intention is to be professional), is the constant … [Read more...] about Sayings, Slogans, Aphorisms and the Discourse of Simple
Swimming Up Stream and the SWMS Dilemma
Refer also to: The Arse-Covering Myth Swimming Up Stream and the Safe Work Method Statement Dilemma I was with an organisation this week that was being inspected by the regulator. The regulator had the unenviable task of assessing whether this organisation was appropriately managing … [Read more...] about Swimming Up Stream and the SWMS Dilemma
Subliminal and Subconscious Influence
I recently had the absolute pleasure of watching Rob Long present some of his brilliant ideas. He had a series of little tricks and games that showed how easily our minds can be influenced by what we continuously see and hear, even if it is rather subtle or even subliminal. Try the one he has … [Read more...] about Subliminal and Subconscious Influence
Military Metaphors in Safety
Military Metaphors in Safety Check out Rob’s new book: Following-Leading in Risk Weick (1979) tells us that organizing is ‘a consensually validated grammar for reducing equivocality by means of sensible interlocking behaviours’. Wow, what a definition and so much jammed into that definition. What … [Read more...] about Military Metaphors in Safety
Shopping for Safety
Shopping for Safety The bell on the door buzzed as I entered the shop, a large emporium with worn cedar shelves signifying construction in the last century. I loved the smell of these old shops with dusty stock on the shelves that hadn’t moved for years, some with old price tags in pounds, … [Read more...] about Shopping for Safety
Culture and Subculture, Which is Safety?
Culture and Subculture, Which is Safety? The SIA BoK chapter on Organisational Culture came out this week. I read with interest that there was no intentional discussion of subcultures in the paper. Of course with so much sunk cost the club will surround the wagons and defend, that’s what it does. … [Read more...] about Culture and Subculture, Which is Safety?
Nonsense Curves and Pyramids
Nonsense Curves and Pyramids Safety likes nothing more than curves and pyramids, nothing so exciting as parading out the Bradley Curve or Heinrich’s Pyramid to get the troops excited about failure and loss. The Bradley Curve was created by DuPont in 1995 to try and benchmark notions of culture and … [Read more...] about Nonsense Curves and Pyramids
Hearing Voices
Hearing Voices In the midst of the busyness of work and life there is much to be said for the value of volunteering. Volunteering is a great way to learn about following and serving and especially helpful for executives who become absorbed in an alternate reality that says the stock market, KPIs … [Read more...] about Hearing Voices