Focus is Key for '23

January 02 2023
By: Shawn M. Galloway

Improvement needs a plan. A plan needs a strategy. A strategy needs focus. Focus should create value. Focus is Key for '23Value should be verified by data and perception.

Strategy is a framework of choices, tradeoffs and small bets an organization or leader makes to capture and deliver value. Improvement efforts should yield new value to the organization and the people within. For the new year 2023, I recommend strategic focus in two areas and three questions to guide your decisions:

Two Areas: Ensure your safety improvement strategy focuses on improving safety performance and overall occupational culture.
Three Questions: What, if focused on, would most directly improve safety performance and occupational culture? What, if focused on, would sustainably improve your safety system's capacity to prevent and recover from human error? How will you ensure and validate the areas you focus on are creating the perception of value from all levels of the workforce?

"You can focus on things that are barriers or you can focus on scaling the wall or redefining the problem." — Tim Cook

"The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus." — Alexander Graham Bell

"That's been one of my mantras — focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it's worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains. " — Steve Jobs


Shawn M. Galloway

Shawn M. Galloway is CEO of the global consultancy ProAct Safety. He is a trusted advisor, professional keynote speaker, and author of several bestselling books on safety strategy, culture, leadership, and behavior-based safety. He is a monthly columnist for several magazines and one of the most prolific contributors in the industry, having also authored over 700 podcasts, 200 articles, and 100 videos. Shawn has received awards and recognition for his significant contributions from the American Society of Safety Professionals, National Safety Council's Top 40 Rising Stars and Top Ten Speakers, EHS Today Magazine's 50 People Who Most Influenced EHS, ISHN Magazine's POWER 101 - Leaders of the EHS World and their newest list: 50 Leaders for Today and Tomorrow, Pro-Sapien's list of The Top 11 Health and Safety Influencers and is an Avetta Distinguished Fellow.





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