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
Could Understanding Grey Be The Silver Bullet
Could understanding Grey, be the ‘silver bullet’? Since I started writing on Safetyrisk.net in November 2013, I’ve received lots of great feedback thoughts, questions and even criticisms about my posts which I appreciate. A key theme of the feedback that I receive is that some of the concepts … [Read more...] about Could Understanding Grey Be The Silver Bullet
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
Take Safety Seriously
Take Safety Seriously This is the edict of the Queensland Resource Council on 13 August 2014, ‘take safety concerns seriously’. The assumption of course is that workers don’t take safety seriously, what an amazing assumption. What else, when ones reality is dictated by injury data. When the data is … [Read more...] about Take Safety Seriously
If-Then and The Feeling of Risk
The feeling of risk is best captured in one word ‘if’ or even more so, ‘if-then’. Not knowing is foundational to the quest for learning and is essential for humility, developing understanding, empathy and love. All love is about a leap of faith into not knowing. This is why love is so seductive, … [Read more...] about If-Then and The Feeling of Risk
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
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?
Sense-Making and Decision-Making in Risk
Sense-Making and Decision-Making in Risk How we understand decision making and sense-making in time constructs how we explain risk and human enactment. Decision-making is about an enactment in the present looking forward (in faith). Sense-making is about how we understand that enactment looking … [Read more...] about Sense-Making and Decision-Making in Risk
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
