June 29 2026
By: Shawn M. Galloway
Your culture took years to build. One wrong hire can begin to unravel it. Especially if that person is well-liked, influential, and holds different beliefs about how safety fits into the work.
Mature organizations have figured out that hiring for cultural fit or direction is not a soft priority; it is a strategic one. The right questions are not just "Can this person do the job?" They are also: what are their beliefs about safety? What have they done that demonstrate those beliefs? And will they reinforce, build upon, or erode what we have built?
If you have a strong safety culture and you invite someone in, especially in a leadership position, who does not share those values, you have not just made a hiring mistake; you have introduced a competing narrative directly into your safety culture.
Guarding the front door is the last frontier of safety excellence for many organizations. How intentionally are you hiring for your culture, and how well are you protecting your culture’s front door?
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.
