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
weick
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?
What in the (Risk & Safety) World is Imagination?
"On a day like today, when there are very little clouds in the sky, and the grass is long, don't you think it would be a great day for some handstands in that long, long grass? Well, Jimmy did." (Toby CVB, 9 years old) Children don't lose sight of the ability to imagine possibilities. This … [Read more...] about What in the (Risk & Safety) World is Imagination?
Balancing Tight and Loose Coupled Systems
Balancing Tight and Loose Coupled Systems My last two articles on art and helping, generated feedback and questions that are worthy of further explanation. Amongst the feedback was that I ‘systems bash’ when I write about risk and safety. Firstly, while I can understand how people may feel that I … [Read more...] about Balancing Tight and Loose Coupled Systems
Breaking the Safety Code
What is the Safety code? Safety code is the in-group code to sell products. Once in-group-demand is assured then buying silver bullets seems a positive economic outcome, in the name of safety. I see recently the chance to learn about safety ‘code breaking’ but not the in-group code but rather the … [Read more...] about Breaking the Safety Code
