Leadership is one of the key drivers of a culture within an organisation. Key attributes of a safety leader include understanding the basis of a high performance organisation through the adoption of HSE mindfulness.

1. www.advisian.com
Mindful HSE
Leadership
Mark Cowan, Advisian
September 2016

2. Leadership is one of the key
drivers of a culture within an
organisation. Over time, what
leaders do will change – who
they are will essentially remain
constant. This is therefore a far
bigger contributor to the
development of a safety
culture.

3. What is a Mindful Leader?
A mindful leader embodies leadership presence
by cultivating focus, clarity, creativity and
compassion in the service of others.
Leadership presence is a tangible quality.
It requires full and complete non-judgmental
attention in the present moment.
Those around a mindful leader see and feel
that presence.
Source: https://instituteformindfulleadership.org/definitions/

4. Elements of a mindful organisation
Mindful organisations maintain a collective
mindfulness of the dangers associated with
their operations.
They organise themselves so they’re in a
better position to notice the unexpected and
stop it progressing to a point where control
is lost.
A mindful organisation must exhibit a range of
key processes, including:
• A preoccupation with failure
• A reluctance to oversimplify data
interpretation
• A sensitivity to the maintenance of
situational awareness and a commitment
to organisational resilience

5. Collectively Mindful Organisations
Organisations that are collectively mindful are
very successful in avoiding disaster, but
ironically they:
• Are wary of success
• Worry about the fact that success may
breed complacency, so worry about the
possibility of it setting in
• Are very alert to any kind of warnings of
danger - warnings that things might be
going wrong
• Use audits as an opportunity to worry
about failure rather than as an
opportunity to celebrate success, which is
the way so many corporate audits
function
Safety Culture, Mindfulness and Safe Behavior; Converging Ideas, Andrew Hopkins, December 2002

6. Failure to identify warning signs
Warning signs are often intermittent – as humans
we are far less inclined to take intermittent signs
seriously.
Intermittent warning signs are particularly
dangerous when combined with a complacent
organisational culture - intermittent, out of sight,
out of mind.
The Gretley Coal Mine Disaster1 and Esso Longford
Gas Explosion2 are two striking examples where
warning signs were ignored as a consequence of
the organisations not operating mindfully.
“Gretley Mine Disaster Judgement” – Minesafe
Lessons from Longford: The Esso Gas Plant Explosion” in CCH Australia Limited

7. Culture of Denial - Beliefs
Prior to any major accident there are
always warning signs which could have
been responded to and averted the
accident - but often they’re not, they’re
ignored.
These can be categorised into 4beliefs:
1. It can’t happen here
2. Intermittent signs
3. Normalise evidence
4. Onus of proof
It can’t
happen
here
Intermittent
signs
Normalise
evidence
Onus of
proof
01
0203
04

8. Culture of Denial – Group Think
Loss of independent thinking
Individuals avoid raising
controversial issues or
alternative solutions, and
there is loss of individual
creativity, uniqueness and
independent thinking.
Social pressure
Enormous social pressure is
brought to bear on anyone
whose views diverge from the
majority or the dominant
person in the group.
Doubters silenced
If the dominant person or
people in the group are
propounding a certain way of
interpreting the warning signs,
then the doubters are
absolutely silenced by the
process of Group Think.
The Janis ‘GROUP THINK Model’ developed by Irving Lester Janis in 1972.

9. Q. How do you know if you have
Group Think operating in your
organisation?

10. A. Janis’ 8 Symptoms

11. Illusion of invulnerability
Creates excessive optimism
that encourages taking
extreme risks
1.

12. Belief in inherent morality
Members believe in the rightness of their
cause and therefore ignore the ethical or
moral consequences of their decisions
2.

13. Collective rationalisation
Members discount warning signs and
do not reconsider their assumptions
3.

14. Stereotyped views of ‘out’ groups
Negative views of ‘opposing groups’ make
effective responses to conflict seem unnecessary
4.

15. Dissenters marginalised
Members are under pressure not to
express arguments against any of the
group’s views
5.

16. Self censorship
Doubts and deviations from the
perceived group consensus are not
expressed
6.

17. Illusion of unanimity
The majority’s view and judgements
are assumed to be unanimous
7.

18. Self-appointed ‘mind-guards’
Members protect the group and the leader
from information that is problematic or
contradictory to the group’s cohesiveness,
view and/or decisions
8.

19. Leadership is one of the key
drivers of a culture within an
organisation.
Key attributes of a safety leader
include understanding the basis
of a high performance
organisation through the
adoption of HSE mindfulness.

21. DISCLAIMER
This presentation has been prepared by a representative of Advisian.
The presentation contains the professional and personal opinions of the presenter, which are given in good faith. As such, opinions presented
herein may not always necessarily reflect the position of Advisian as a whole, its officers or executive.
Any forward-looking statements included in this presentation will involve subjective judgment and analysis and are subject to uncertainties, risks and
contingencies—many of which are outside the control of, and may be unknown to, Advisian.
Advisian and all associated entities and representatives make no representation or warranty as to the accuracy, reliability or completeness of
information in this document and do not take responsibility for updating any information or correcting any error or omission that may become
apparent after this document has been issued.
To the extent permitted by law, Advisian and its officers, employees, related bodies and agents disclaim all liability—direct, indirect or consequential
(and whether or not arising out of the negligence, default or lack of care of Advisian and/or any of its agents)—for any loss or damage suffered by a
recipient or other persons arising out of, or in connection with, any use or reliance on this presentation or information.
Advisian / 21