January 02 2023
By: Shawn M. Galloway
Improvement needs a plan. A plan needs a strategy. A strategy needs focus. Focus should create value. 
Value 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 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.
