In this speech, Mike "Coach" Allen will use his experience as a 10 time HS state champion coach, safety manager, and 20 years consultant to define what winning at safety looks like in a modern workplace. To win at safety, you have to build a team that can succeed in the world of complex work environments where risks can be hidden and safety management systems can be too slow to adapt. To overcome these barriers, championship caliber teams will need to be agile which means they watch, question, intervene, and communicate to close gaps in the safety management system.

2. Challenger Shuttle | 1986

3. Macondo - Deepwater Horizon | 2008

4. The World Is…
‣ Complex
‣ Dynamic
‣ Unpredictable

5. “Catch 22”
The more layers of
protection there are,
the more complex
and difficult to
monitor things
become.

6. We need something
that is…
‣ Reactive
‣ Creative
‣ Everywhere

7. We need something
that is…
‣ Reactive
‣ Creative
‣ Everywhere

8. Winning at Safety
How your people make the difference
Mike “Coach” Allen
The RAD Group

9. Our team will
be built for
AGILITY

10. AGILITY
‣ Watching
‣ Questioning
‣ Intervening

11. Our Opponent
It is not
our people!

12. “Human Error”
It is a convenient
illusion that nearly all
incidents are caused
by human error.

13. Attributional
Biases
When others do
something wrong or
bad, we jump to a
conclusion…

14. Attributional
Biases
“It was because of flaw
in their character.”
“They were careless,
complacent, lazy…etc.”

15. It is a
Culture of
Attribution
Our Opponent

16. It is a
Culture of
Blame
Our Opponent

17. Our Opponent
A culture of blame
undermines agility.

18. A Culture of Blame
Our Opponent
‣ It makes watching
out for each other
feel more like
surveillance.

19. Our Opponent
‣ It makes asking
questions feel more
like “looking for
dirt.”
A Culture of Blame

20. Our Opponent
‣ It makes intervening
feel more like
reprimanding.
A Culture of Blame

21. Our Roster
Every person
has a role on
the team.

22. Our Game Plan
‣ Watching
‣ Questioning
‣ Intervening

23. Our Game Plan
This game plan is
already supported
by people’s
fundamental values.

24. ‣ People believe that they should
intervene when they see something
unsafe.
Personal Values

25. ‣ People don’t want their coworkers to
suffer from injuries.
Personal Values

26. ‣ People don’t want environmental
disasters to occur.
Personal Values

27. ‣ People believe that health and
wellbeing is more important than
getting a job done quickly.
Personal Values

28. So why do people regularly do
things that are inconsistent
with these values?

29. Human performance
and decisions are
profoundly
influenced by the
immediate context.
Local Rationality
CONTEXT

30. Contexts include
people, the physical
surroundings, and
organizational
systems.
CONTEXT
Local Rationality

31. Informal
conversations are
far more influential
than banners and
speeches.
Leaders play a special role
CONTEXT

32. When Do We
Celebrate?
When someone
takes initiative to
improve safety.

33. When Do We
Celebrate?
When someone
questions a
procedure.

34. When Do We
Celebrate?
When someone
intervenes.

35. How Do We Know
We’ve Won?
When we have a
culture in which
people do these
without hesitation.

37. Winning at Safety
How your people make the difference
Mike “Coach” Allen
The RAD Group

38. Resources for You
theradgroup.com/vpp-16
Access Slides
Ask Questions
Michael Allen
17th @ 11:30
18th @ 2:45
Mike Allen
17th @ 1:45 & 3:00
18th @ 10:00 & 1:15
Ron Ragain
17th @ 11:30 & 1:45
Phillip Ragain
18th @ 1:15 & 2:45