May 23 2022
By: Shawn M. Galloway
Hired to assess a company's culture, strategy, and system effectiveness, I had to have a frank conversation with the leadership team. The team was putting forth the correct level of effort. Moreover, after reviewing the data, they were also focused in the right direction. The problem? Employee engagement was not increasing, the culture was not improving, and there were problems with employees adhering to the safety rules.
On day one of my visits, immediately when entering the parking lot the direction was visible and apparent throughout, reverse parking only. I noticed maybe twenty percent of the vehicles complied each day. When giving my feedback to the leadership team regarding my findings and recommendations, I asked the leadership team, if we were to all go out in the parking lot right now, please stand if would find your vehicle reverse parked. Only one individual stood.
While this was not the only influence on the culture, it was representative of a huge one. If leaders do not comply with the first rule faced when entering the complex, why would we expect the employees to follow it or others? If the leaders don't lead, the followers won't follow.
"What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say." — Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Every person has a legacy. You may not know what your impact is, and it may not be something that you can write on your tombstone, but every person has an impact on this world." — Dara Horn
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.
