Influence and the Safety Professional; Part 2

The successful application of influence in the safety world at its basic level is generally directed toward changing behavior.  At a higher level it is normally directed toward more strategic concerns in terms of policy and culture growth.  For some, the differences between the two may alter somewhat how they apply these principles, but the end result is essentially the same – we want to see a change.

Safety professionals must realize the limitations on their role in most organizations.  We are typically given tremendous responsibility, but very little authority.  This makes the prudent and well considered application of your influence all the more important since our “authority” is perceived – not actual. 

One of the first steps in utilizing the power of your influence is to realize that you are just as dependent on others as they are dependent on you.  You must have / or develop a collaborative attitude.  You must also seek the balance between your dependency on them vs. their dependency on you.  If this is out of whack, you will find yourself constantly chasing rabbit trails and squandering the value of your own influence.  Moreover, treating people with the respect, dignity and consideration they deserve as stakeholders and people is essential to not just the successful application of your influence, but also preserving your influence.  Sincerely helping others whenever you get the chance not only strengthens and solidifies the value of your influence, it also opens the door for people to reciprocate with their own help when you need it.

Also, when we treat people as equals, we are giving those people we are trying to influence an opportunity to increase their respect for our knowledge and skill, which is essential for the safety professional.  If the safety professional tries to “pull rank” using authority that is only perceived, he/she only serves to diminish that respect and dilutes their own influence.  Recognizing that people are unique and special in their own right is the path toward compatibility between what you need – change – and what they need – not to get hurt.

Seek to apply your influence in a principled and consistent way (even with the people who challenge you).  It will make your life as a safety professional infinitely easier.

Influence and the Safety Professional; Part 1

For most safety professionals, the days of wandering around the job site or workplace clipboard in hand are largely over.  Today’s safety professionals are increasingly engaged in the process of positively influencing behavior and culture to protect lives and property.

Influence is a part of life whether we know it or not. The thing is, everyone has influence, and everyone is influenced by someone.  But influence is never about manipulation or controlling people.  To have successful influence on the strategic direction of safety in an organization, the safety professional must draw from his/her well of knowledge on building relationships, trust and mutual respect over and over again.  There are very few occasions when this doesn’t involve exerting their influence to “sell” safety to stakeholders, but also applying those skills to understand the stakeholder’s perspective and concerns.

I agree with the concept that “leadership is influence.”  I also recognize that most safety professionals are control freaks to one degree or another.  However, there are those who have come to the realization that you really can’t control people, you can only control process.  You influence people.

What Makes a Good Safety Professional?

The safety industry has been in a slow transition over the last couple of decades from the heavy handed compliance “Sword of OSHA” to the more collaborative practitioner focused on building relationships.  Whereas this evolution is consistent with our changing society and social mores, the debate still rages about what makes a “good” safety professional.

Apart from the obvious need for technical skill and a commanding knowledge of the OSHA standard, as well as the various consensus standards enforced by OSHA, safety professionals must also be equipped with a variety of other skills and knowledge which may not appear at first glance to be related specifically to safety.  Depending on who you talk to, skills and knowledge may range from understanding financial strategies and business acumen to personal traits like leadership, communication and a wide variety of other people skills.  Clearly, the most successful safety professionals possess all these capabilities and more.

However, of all of the potential skills a successful safety professional must have, I believe the most important is the ability to actively listen to people’s concerns and perspectives.  Except for technical competence, virtually all other markers of success stem from a person’s ability to understand what motivates others to behave the way they do.  This is also directly relational to personal decision making and how they respond in the presence of a hazard. 

Of course, it is far more complicated than that and volumes have been written to describe all the various component parts of what it takes to be a successful safety professional.  However, the safety professional that is a good, active listener will always succeed where the one who isn’t won’t.

This begs the question, are you really listening, or just “hearing” the conversation?

Never Underestimate the Power of "Thank You"

Can we agree on a Fundamental Truth about Human Nature?

In my experience, I have witnessed over and over the simple power of "thank you". Good will, trust and respect are fragile things - hard to win but easy to lose. All the countless hours and resources spent on developing sophisticated plans to secure these simple commodities are a waste if "thank you" isn't part of the effort.

Much can be forgiven in an organization if demonstrations of gratitude and recognition are sincerely communicated when deserved. The old school of thought reflected in "they should be happy to have a job" will not hack it today if an organization is serious about keeping high quality, experienced and skilled workers. It is no longer valid that leadership doesn't need to acknowledge the worker's basic need for recognition. It doesn't have to be extravagant or a "big deal", it just needs to be sincere.

Group recognition has its merits, but I submit that individual recognition is far more powerful and lasts longer in the mind of who is receiving it. In person presentations of recognition along with a certificate commemorating the event often means more to the individual than a $100 gift card given impersonally by someone in an ivory tower somewhere. The truth is, most people just want to know how they are making a contribution to the big picture and if that contribution is appreciated.

When was the last time you sincerely thanked someone for the job they do?

A Revealing Safety Assessment Tool

Adapted from a post by Bart Brabham of Learning Unlimited revealing a unique and very useful tool for assessing people’s tendencies to take risks.  Behavioral assessments have been around for many years and there are literally hundreds to choose from.

For the first time, there is now an assessment that is successful in identifying risky behavior and that is a natural fit for the work we do in safety and the challenges that go with it.  SafetyMirror® is not just a behavioral assessment, it is a psychometric tool that measures situational judgment, awareness, and aptitude. This is a fully validated tool that reveals one's SafetyDNA (a true indicator of one’s propensity for engaging in risky behavior) and is known to be a predictive indicator of recordable injuries.

There is also an associated assessment called SafetyMirror 4 Leaders. This particular tool identifies one’s leadership style based on people skills and process skills. The focus of SafetyMirror 4 Leaders is on team members who report to a particular leader. His or her direct reports are at a certain level of exposure based on their leader’s risk profile. This exposure, due to the leader, is a function of the Leader’s SafetyDNA and Leadership style.  Each of these tools provides an excellent opportunity for growth by revealing blind spots and areas for improvement. Used in tandem they can be a very effective in supporting and bolstering an already existing safety culture initiative.

SafetyMirror® and SafetyMirror 4 Leaders provides Leaders and Safety Professionals the unique opportunity to develop relevant and sustainable programs and initiatives that directly address the reasons why people put themselves at risk and how those decisions are made.  It is a revealing and practical tool every business who is concerned about improving their culture and protecting their employees against injury should use.