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
weick
Safety is an Art
Safety has much more to do with Art, History and Philosophy than it has to do with Science, Engineering and Law. I recently wrote The Target Drives the Method about the subjectivity of determining ‘significance’ that is a precursor to this discussion. Despite the perception that so many in safety … [Read more...] about Safety is an Art
Understanding The Social Psychology of Risk – Prof Karl E. Weick
Understanding The Social Psychology of Risk – Prof Karl E. Weick The contribution of Prof. Karl E. Weick to the genre of social psychology is enormous. (His 5 key texts are listed below). I first read Weick in 1985 as part of my Master’s Thesis at Sydney University and would count my contact with … [Read more...] about Understanding The Social Psychology of Risk – Prof Karl E. Weick
Organisations are Social Institutions
Organisations are Social Institutions I saw a meme the other day from the safety sphere that stated: ‘We, all of us, are just one new executive away from having to start again at the very beginning’. Of course, this is utter nonsense. The idea that ‘we’ (the organized) are shaped by the shifting of … [Read more...] about Organisations are Social Institutions
Framing Folly and Fantasy in Safety
Framing Folly and Fantasy in Safety Research by published in the Orthomolecular Psychiatry Journal shows that humans can be primed by colour. Advertisers and political strategists know that colours can ‘frame’ the way people receive a message. The choice of a red or blue tie is most important for a … [Read more...] about Framing Folly and Fantasy in Safety
Understanding Systems and Ecologies in Risk
Understanding Systems and Ecologies in Risk It was Karl Weick (1979) who defined organizing as: ‘consensually validated grammar for reducing equivocality by means of sensible interlocking behaviours’. This is such a comprehensive definition of how humans organize. If we think of organizing as … [Read more...] about Understanding Systems and Ecologies in Risk
Making Sense of Safety Management Systems
Making Sense of Safety Management Systems Guest Post by George Stavrou - SH&E Manager. This was an assignment submitted as part of his studies at The Centre For Leadership, Learning and Risk My car has started showing signs of ageing, signalling upcoming costly repairs. In other words, it’s … [Read more...] about Making Sense of Safety Management Systems
Social Psychology Applied to the Discernment of Risk
Social Psychology Applied to the Discernment of Risk During April 2015, good mates and study buddies (and authors on this blog) Gab Carlton, Max Geyer, Rob Sams and James Ellis attended the Society of Australasian Social Psychologist (SASP) Conference held in Newcastle. While Rob Sams has provided … [Read more...] about Social Psychology Applied to the Discernment of Risk
History and Hindsight in Safety
History and Hindsight in Safety In this post I wish to continue the discussion about significance through a discussion of history. It was Weick who said: ‘I don’t know what I believe until I see what I do’. In other words, everything we ‘know’ is retrospective. Humans have unlimited hindsight but … [Read more...] about History and Hindsight in Safety
Process driven or People driven? What’s your Focus?
Process driven or People driven? What’s your Focus? I had the privilege last weekend to be with a family grieving for one of their family members, Margaret, in ICU. I was sitting with them beside her as she fought for her life. At first I found myself being an observer. I sat back and took it all … [Read more...] about Process driven or People driven? What’s your Focus?