🛡️ Safety: "Smoke on the Water" and How to Clear It

No industrial production can exist in chaos – that is an axiom. Then why do presentations, reports, and KPIs sometimes turn out to be more important than real changes in the workplace?

As those in the know say, this is one of the signs of a corporate culture of imitation. It does not emerge from nowhere, but as a defense mechanism that allows survival within the corporate environment.

Below are some characteristics for comparison between the "ownership approach" (©DuPont) and the imitation culture.

In which of these cultures would you like to live and work?

Which one is better at reducing losses? 💰

Power Distance

• Ownership approach: operational efficiency = plan + quality + safety; personal visits to "Gemba," conversations with staff, etc., are common practice.
• Imitation culture: everything is measured by financial indicators (the "money paradigm").

Corporate Requirements (Rules)

• Ownership approach: these are necessary for efficient and safe work.
• Imitation culture: these are needed as cover — "just in case they ask," "if something happens"...

Safety

• Ownership approach: safety is an unconditional priority, part of the technology, and a guide to action.
• Imitation culture: safety often exists "on paper": orders are issued, people are briefed, logs are maintained.

Management Continuity

• Ownership approach: development and rotation of managers, career advancement for internal candidates and/or long-term hiring of external experts, regular work with external consultants.
• Imitation culture: key managers change every 3-5 years, corporate priorities and management practices change frequently; what was important yesterday fades into the background or is forgotten today; external consultants are not needed — a waste of time and money.

Communications

• Ownership approach: "top-down" and "bottom-up" communications.
• Imitation culture: "top-down" informing clearly prevails. At the "bottom": silencing problems, hiding mistakes.

Level of Mutual Trust

• Ownership approach: trust is moderate or high.
• Imitation culture: trust level is often low.

Complacency

• Ownership approach: reasonable, well-thought-out changes are discussed and usually supported.
• Imitation culture: high complacency is demonstrated: "we have everything we need"; changes are imitated or sabotaged.

Reaction to Problems

• Ownership approach: reporting problems is an opportunity for corrective actions, risk reduction, and learning lessons.
• Imitation culture: it is more important to find who is to blame.

Attitude Toward Initiatives

• Ownership approach: new opportunities for systemic improvements.
• Imitation culture: a "skeleton in the closet," a threat to stability and peace.

We must recognize that an imitation culture is a clear dead end. Somewhere at the "Supervisory" stage of the Bradley Curve, the development of safety culture freezes for a long time or even rolls back. ⛔

Fortunately, there is a way out. Moving forward begins with the determination of leaders and gradual changes to the system "settings." In this situation, the HSE specialist becomes a direct participant in the change. Their role is to provide patient and consistent support for changes at all levels of management where it is needed.

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💬 Colleagues, please share your thoughts in the comments. 👇