August 15 2022
By: Shawn M. Galloway
Do you treat something differently if you own it? At a 2005 safety conference, Terry Mathis asked the audience, "How many of you have washed a rental car?" No responses. He followed with, "Why not?" The apparent reactions were, "It's not mine." What if you are punished for not doing so? Would you take it to be detailed, or do the minimum amount necessary? What do you want, a culture of have-to or culture of want-to? How you leaders lead matters.
To achieve excellence in an operational area, leaders must move from being a COP to a COACH, from punishing to collaborative problem-solving. Suppose the workforce perceives leaders are behaving intentionally to Catch Opportunities to Punish (COP). In that case, we encourage leaders to look for ways to Create Ownership and Change Happens (COACH)SM.
Coaching is a leadership style focused on helping people perform to the best of their ability, every time, everywhere. For this outcome to be a reality, regular, consistent and sustained engagement is needed. Engagement is buy-in, participation and ownership. And the principles of ownership are possession, stewardship and control. Consider your safety performance, safety management systems, safety programs, policies, procedures and safety culture. How much ownership exists within the many levels in your company? What can others possess, steward and control? While punishment is a tool, one of last resort, I've never seen a company punished into excellence. Excellence comes from creating ownership and, with this, change happens.
"When everyone owns a piece of safety, change happens." — Terry L. Mathis
"When a team takes ownership of its problems, the problem gets solved. It is true on the battlefield, it is true in business, and it is true in life." — Jocko Willink
"People support what they help to create." — W. Edwards Deming
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.
