March 11 2015
By: Terry L. Mathis
Just as a head coach should bring a plan to win each game, leaders of organizations should have a plan to win in safety. If you truly seek excellence, it is not enough to simply set a goal to win by so many points, or just show up and rely on the native ability of your players. True leadership involves strategy. How do you play on your strengths? How do you adjust for special challenges? How do you constantly revise your plan based on successes and failures? How do you motivate and direct your players?
So many safety programs lack true strategies and simply rely on good players, traditional plays, and a little cheerleading. Leaders stress safety rather than leading it. They give it lip service and even invest resources in traditional efforts, but they don't really have a game plan. They fire poor performers and try to hire better ones, but don't really have a training program to maximize performance. All the symptoms of poor coaching apply to safety leadership. Do you bring a game plan to the table in your organization?
Terry Mathis, Founder and retired CEO of ProAct Safety, has served as a consultant and advisor for top organizations the world over. A respected strategist and thought leader, Terry has authored five books, numerous articles, videos and blogs, and is known for his dynamic and engaging presentations. EHS Today has named him one of the '50 People Who Most Influenced EHS' four consecutive times. Business leaders and safety professionals seek Terry's practical insight and unique ability to introduce new perspectives that lead to real change.
