April 17 2023
By: Shawn M. Galloway
How much training focuses on what to do when things do not go as planned?
Finding an industrial location without posted signs encouraging a safety mindset is odd throughout the developed world. Moreover, the more mature the organization, the more often leadership routinely urges employees not to put production over safety. These same individuals express frustration when learning of an employee who took a shortcut or behaved incongruent with expectations when things do not go as planned, such as an upset condition.
In the military, we would train like we fight and fight like we were trained. This training includes developing vital contingency planning skills and responding as a team in changing conditions or encountering additional unanticipated difficulties. In many occupational environments, most training focuses on normal operations or how to perform the work as planned. However, for many reasons, work will often not go as planned in each of these environments throughout the day. The risk of deviations from the plan increases significantly with less experienced workers.
Work to create a culture with your teams where it is safe and expected to discuss when work did not go according to plan, even when outcomes didn't yield any damage, defects or injuries. Embrace those conversations as they are significant operational learning opportunities. Use case studies, events videos, and what-if conversations to develop contingency thinking and habit strength on what to do when things do not go as planned because they will, somewhere, every day. How prepared are your workers?
"The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry." — Robert Burns
"You fight like you train." — George S. Patton Jr.
"No battle plan survives contact with the enemy." — Helmuth von Moltke.
Shawn Galloway, CEO of ProAct Safety, is an expert in safety excellence. With almost thirty years of experience, he is a highly sought-after advisor, keynote speaker, and expert witness. Shawn has become a trusted partner to leading organizations across various industries worldwide. He ranks in the top 1% of the most prolific writers in his field, having authored over 500 articles and several bestselling books. He also launched the world's first safety podcast, Safety Culture Excellence©. As a recognized authority in safety, Shawn has received awards such as being named among the Top 50 People Who Most Influence EHS and a Top 10 Speaker, among others.
He is a regular guest on Bloomberg, Fox News, The Daily Mail, Dubai One, U.S. News & World Report, Sirius Business Radio, Wharton Business Daily, and leading safety magazines and podcasts. Shawn also serves as a member of the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council, Forbes Business Council, and Fast Company Executive Board, enabling his influence to shape safety thinking and strategy at the executive level.
