November 14 2022
By: Shawn M. Galloway
In a recent executive workshop discussing the firm's plans for pursuing safety excellence, a leader had a necessary realization. The strategy development conversation moved from what was essential to the business to what the dispersed workforce needed and desired. He said, "Safety is local, isn't it?"
Strategic priorities will be necessary across the enterprise to advance any area of business or operational performance. Safety is no different. The company's various locations, departments and shifts all contain unique people. As such, each group is special and should be treated as such. Like motivation, what works to advance performance and results for one group doesn't always work for another. Global priorities are needed, and local priorities as well.
Globally, what one or two areas, if focused on, would help the entire enterprise move forward faster and provide more sustainable results? Locally, what do the individuals in the many unique cultures within the enterprise need to overcome the many hazards and risks they face? Know your people and what they need as a group and individually. Safety is personal. Make it so.
"Think globally, act locally." — Patrick Geddes
"We only know a tiny proportion about the complexity of the natural world. Wherever you look, there are still things we don't know about and don't understand. There are always new things to find out if you go looking for them." — David Attenborough
"We may freak out globally, but we suffer locally." — Jonathan Franzen
Shawn M. Galloway is the CEO of ProAct Safety and an advisor to leading organizations across all major industries. With over twenty years of experience in safety systems, strategy, culture, leadership, and employee engagement, he is a trusted advisor, keynote speaker, and expert witness.
He is the author of several bestselling books and has multiple regular columns in leading magazines, with over 400 articles and 100 videos to his credit. He also created the first safety podcast, Safety Culture Excellence, with over 800 episodes. Shawn has received numerous prestigious accolades and has been featured in Power 101 Leaders of the EHS World, Top 50 People Who Most Influenced EHS, Top 40 Rising Stars, Top 11 Health and Safety Influencers, and Top 10 Speakers.
He serves on the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council and the Fast Company Executive Board. He has appeared as a 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, reinforcing his status as an authority in the field of safety excellence.
For more information, call +1.936.273.8700 or email info@ProActSafety.com.
