November 07 2022
By: Shawn M. Galloway
I recently had the privilege to dine at a wonderful family-owned restaurant, Abattoir Blues, in Sydney, Australia. In discussions with our server, we learned that when she was younger, she was accepted into Juilliard, where she studied ballet, later performing professionally across the United States until she lost her passion. As a result, her body was unable to perform. They call this The First Death of a Dancer.
This first death concept I see often occurring within the safety profession. I have worked with wonderfully talented safety leaders who could no longer thrive. Their heart was no longer in it; they no longer felt valued or experienced a lack of support from management or the workforce. They observed a lack of genuine buy-in for safety improvement from those with fiduciary responsibility or witnessed investments in only the minimal necessary to stay off regulators' or clients' radars.
Safety as a career is a noble one, full of value. Consider the safety practices that were once viewed as acceptable, today we regard as unacceptable. While there will always be hazards and risks, think of how far we have progressed, and the value safety professionals have provided people on and off the job. Today, reflect on why safety is vital to the people you care about. More importantly, take the time to thank a safety professional; it might be the preventative measure needed to keep their passion alive.
"A dancer dies twice-once when they stop dancing, and this first death is more painful." — Martha Graham
"Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life." — Confucius
"If you work just for money, you'll never make it, but if you love what you're doing and you always put the customer first, success will be yours." — Ray Kroc
Shawn M. Galloway is the CEO of the global consultancy ProAct Safety. 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.
As a leading and globally recognized expert on safety excellence, he has been interviewed and a guest on Bloomberg, Fox News, Dubai One, Sirius Business Radio, U.S. News & World Report, Wharton Business Daily, mainstream safety magazines, and almost every safety-related podcast.
Shawn's passion, dedication, and significant contributions to the safety field have been widely recognized. He has received numerous awards and accolades, including Global Safety Excellence Expert, Power 101 Leaders of the EHS World, Top 50 People Who Most Influenced EHS, Top 40 Rising Stars, and Top 11 Health and Safety Influencers. His influence is felt globally, and his status as an esteemed Avetta Distinguished Fellow and Advisor to Harvard Business Review further underscores his expertise and makes his perspectives highly sought after.
For more information, call (936) 273-8700 or email info@ProActSafety.com.
