Shawn Galloway

Whether we realize it or not, every day we put ourselves in situations that could go horribly wrong. We all take calculated risks; some of us are just better calculators than others. At work and home, we end each day without an injury and consider it a safe day. How wrong we are. There are two ways to not get injured: consciously take the right precautions, or get lucky.

For safety to truly become infused into company decisions, behavior and culture, it cannot be delegated nor managed by a corporate entity. Safety is not the sole responsibility of the employer; it is everyone's responsibility. Yes, that means you, too! If you disagree, I have some stories for you.

Significant-event stories are shared in this heartwarming talk that not only inspire and motivate the audience, but also provide the thinking necessary to change behavior and increase personal accountability.

Much has been written about the need for safety to be integrated into business thinking for safety to become the way of business and a core value rather than priority. Not enough attention is placed on the need for business practices to be integrated into safety thinking.

Safety is not simple. It is more than rule-following, common-sense and paying attention. Safety is influenced by culture, systems, leadership styles, history, economy, locations, etc. One of the most significant differentiators of successful organizations in safety is the way safety is strategically managed.

For excellence in any operational category to be recognized, it is imperative employees make decisions and behave in alignment with the intended strategic direction. Safety is not a standalone strategy within a business; it must be an integral part of the overall operational plan. How clear is your strategic direction and how well can employees easily see the role safety plays within it?

Without strategy, is the recognition of new safety results more than luck? Is the inability to improve because of the intervention or other influences? Everyone wants excellence in safety performance and safety culture, yet often forgets excellence is not just about results. Rather, it is the confidence and ability to articulate why great results were achieved and the knowledge of how to repeat and advance year after year.

Organizations on the path towards excellence in any operational category must examine and plan to leverage their culture. Does the culture work with or against the plan? What will the culture support and what will it resist? Cultures are the most effective sustainability tool an organization has; it works hard to maintain the status quo. Or, if involved and leveraged effectively, it will develop ownership and reinforce the desired direction of change. Excellence in performance is only obtained through highly-functioning cultures.

Cultures can be leveraged to obtain significant results, but only if there is a clear understanding of the starting point, the destination, and the overall executable strategy. Leadership must realize they are not only responsible for the culture of the organization, but also how it is managed, to drive breakthrough performance. Culture can be a barrier or an opportunity. How you look at it isn't necessarily the answer; how you manage it is.

All organizations desire to achieve and maintain zero injuries and a culture of safety excellence, but how confident are they in their strategy to get there? Learn how best-performing organizations develop strategies to achieve the most effective sustainability mechanism in safety: a culture of excellence.

A leader's ability to inspire and influence will become his or her single most effective, competitive advantage. Once higher levels are reached in an organization, individuals are less judged by what they have personally contributed, and more by what they have led others to accomplish. Do employees perform excellently because you inspire them to, or because they are fearful? Do you have a have-to or a want-to culture? Sustainable excellence develops from a motivated and inspired workforce; it is not the result of behavioral manipulation or managed delegation.

All leaders face challenges that intensify with each new hypercompetitive priority. The successful leader of tomorrow must become transformational to succeed. Audience members will receive tools and techniques that can be immediately applied, transforming their value to the organization, and helping them recognize sustainable step-change improvement in culture and performance.