March 14 2022
By: Shawn M. Galloway
Discussing recent field visits with overhead power line crews leaders, a new leader shared a concerning story. A storm quickly began moving in. Thunder presented, and lightning struck many miles away. Not knowing the policy exactly, she asked the employee why he was still up there in the bucket truck and when he thought it was appropriate to come down. His response was, "Oh, you just know."
It is easy for someone to become overly confident in estimating and forecasting using experience and judgment alone. Sometimes our overconfidence results in choosing the wrong option, answers on a test, jobs, stocks to purchase, candidates to support, or even the person to marry. It is tragic when it results in the loss of life. Overconfidence is an error trap. Talk through tasks and the hazards and risks people face in the actual performance of their work. Every company has error traps. Do you know where yours are?
"Before you attempt to beat the odds, be sure you could survive the odds beating you." — Larry Kersten
"There is no more insidious poison than hubris." — C.A.A. Savastano
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.
