November 28 2022
By: Shawn M. Galloway
When we investigate deviations from expected outcomes, it is easy to fixate on who was involved, what happened immediately leading up to the unwanted event, and what went wrong. Context is everything.
U.S. Special Operations Forces teach a weapon position called High Port. This is where the weapon's muzzle is pointed up. This allows safer movement in close quarters, prevents friendly fire incidents, allows quicker switching to hand-to-hand combat, and facilitates better awareness because it allows for a better viewpoint of the unfolding situation. When your eyes are fixated on the individual in your scope or sights, that is all that you see — their actions, not what is going around them or why they might behave in a concerning situation. Harvard Business School Professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter created a dynamic model called the Zoom framework, where she encourages leaders to zoom in to understand details, subtleties and nuances better, then zoom out to make sense of what is going on and get the big picture.
Many things influence human behavior. People do things for a reason. Focus on the reason, not the individual. Keep the tools you use to investigate unwanted events at high port. Zoom in to understand, then zoom out to understand why.
"High port your weapon, take a step back, look around, and all of a sudden, you can see what to do." — Jocko Willink
"Leaders need multiple perspectives to get a complete picture. Effective leaders zoom in and zoom out."" — Rosabeth Moss Kanter
"Zoom in, to get a new perspective. Zoom out, to see we're all connected" — Ringo Starr
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.
