February 15 2021
By: Terry L. Mathis
During the industrial revolution, rich investors developed metrics to hold managers accountable for running their new-fangled factories. How much money did they take in, how much did they spend and how much money did they return to the investor? If the numbers were not acceptable, the manager was changed.
That data was critical. It told a manager if he or she was doing an acceptable job, but it did not tell a manager how to do a better job. It was descriptive but not prescriptive. Now, centuries and decades later many organizations still manage safety strictly with accountability metrics. We call them lagging indicators and they are critical for accountability, but largely useless for management improvement.
Terry Mathis, Founder and retired CEO of ProAct Safety, has served as a consultant and advisor for top organizations the world over. A respected strategist and thought leader, Terry has authored five books, numerous articles, videos and blogs, and is known for his dynamic and engaging presentations. EHS Today has named him one of the '50 People Who Most Influenced EHS' four consecutive times. Business leaders and safety professionals seek Terry's practical insight and unique ability to introduce new perspectives that lead to real change.
