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Essays

Accountability:

By Bob Lapidus, CSP

Accountability means there are consequences for what we do or do not do. Such consequences include:

1.	Positive Consequences:
	a.	Recognition – Commendations, Compliments and Congratulations
	b.	Correction – Coaching and Counseling

2.	Negative Consequences
	a.	Warnings
	b.	Suspension, Termination

In this light, we should be dealing with our fellow employees on an adult to adult level. Accountability is part of that relationship.

We recognize employees for doing what we want them to do. People have a need to be recognized for doing a good job.

If they have a problem doing something, we coach and counsel them. Employees need to be corrected when they do something incorrectly or poorly so they learn the right way to do the work. We may need to train or re-train them on the needed knowledge, skills and/or judgments.

Correct performance needs to matter on a moment to moment basis. It needs to be proactive rather than waiting until something bad happens. Accountability needs to be integrated into everything we do.

On the other hand, in my ideal world, discipline should not be a standard remedy for working with adults. We hire young people right out of high school or others who have more education and/or experience, and we pay them to do a job. We don’t ask them to work for free.

We should not be giving verbal reprimands, written warnings, suspensions and/or termination to adults. Such actions are childlike. Treating everyone as adults means that management communicates its expectations to all employees. Management then expects employees to fulfill these expectations.

If employees fulfill the expectations, management praises and recognizes them. If employees do not fulfill the expectations, management corrects them. If an employee continues not to meet expectations, there is something wrong with that employee, that is, they do not fit the style of management, or the culture of the organization, or they do not have the knowledge, skills, judgment and/or work ethic for the job. They need to work someplace else.

In most cases, managers, supervisors and even the employees themselves know if there is a fit within the first week of the employee coming onboard. Waiting to see if things are going to improve is a waste of time. Perhaps an easy in/easy out process within the first 30 days of employment would be good for all concerned.

The lack of accountability results in a dysfunctional organization where problems are permitted to fester and destroy any opportunity for success. Integrated accountability is what good management has going for it in a productive, efficient and functional organization.

What's the Error?

By Bob Lapidus, CSP

Many people try to blame employees for their accidents by using throw-away terms to describe the employees’ behavior such as the employee was careless or the employee failed to use his or her common sense.

CarelessnessMany people use the term carelessness to describe someone's act of making a mistake and having an accident. The term has the connotation that the involved person did not truly care about what she/he was doing.

I do not believe that people do not care about their own safety and well-being.

I do believe that people fail to do what they should do so as not to have an accident. Significant failures are due to:

1.	Not following procedures that have been developed to prevent losses.
2.	Being in a hurry to get a job done, even while following procedures. Being in a hurry tends to set the person up to do an act faster than it should be done, thereby causing the person to err.
3.	Getting distracted from either internal thoughts or external situations. The distractions literally cause the person to take their mind off the work they are doing

Common Sense Another word or phrase that is often misused is common sense to describe what people ought to do to avoid accidents. As the saying goes: The problem with common sense is that it is not common.

Actually common sense is something that is developed over time through personal experiences and education. Each of us has our own common sense. No two people have the same experiences or education. Consequently, when someone says that I did not use my common sense, they are wrong. I used my common sense. It might have been an error, but it was my error.

Truly, safety programs need to create an organizational common sense via the establishment of safety policies and procedures, training, and accountability. Put everyone on the same track, and everyone will have the same safety common sense.

Then when someone does not follow the organization’s policies and procedures, we can say they did not use our common sense. It is not normally a matter of some human defect (being careless or lacking common sense) that gets us into trouble; it is the failure to do something in a prescribed manner. We have already learned how to avoid accidents. We have had a sufficient number of losses to know what causes losses to occur. When a loss does occur, we have failed to do something correctly. Find out what that something is, correct it, and avoid future losses.

IDEAS FOR INCENTIVE PROGRAMS

By Bob Lapidus, CSP

A.	Prior to initiating an incentive program, ensure that a strong and positive safety program is in place:
	1.	Prevent/reduce your loss experience.
	2.	Mitigate your loss exposures.
	3.	Create dynamic safety programs that target A.1. and A.2.
	4.	Fit the safety program to your organization’s style of management.

B.	Then after your safety program is in place, avoid the following incentive program traps:
	Incentive programs are not as successful when they are:
	1.	Viewed by employees as another ploy "to get us to do what THEY want us to do."
	2.	Treated by employees with an attitude of: "Is THIS all we get???"
	3.	A substitute for "REAL Safety Improvements.”

C.	Incentive Program Tips
	1.	Keep the program SIMPLE.
	2.	Communicate ALL GROUND RULES to ALL employees.
	3.	Provide monthly FEEDBACK.
	4.	Reward WITH ENTHUSIASM.
		a. IN FRONT OF PEERS
		b. ON COMPANY TIME
		c. NOT AS A LAST MINUTE THING

	5.	ALL employees should be able to win.
	6.	Reward FREQUENTLY, as the budget permits.
	7.	Provide MEANINGFUL AWARDS.
	8.	Provide RESULTS and ACTIVITY INCENTIVES.
		RESULT - Not having injuries and accidents.
		ACTIVITIES - Conduct random surveys
		Suggestions
		Safety belt use

	9.	Keep the program CONSISTENT, BUT NOT BORING.

D.	Examples of Incentive Programs:
	1.	Not having LOSSES.
	2.	IMPROVED group/department loss record.
	3.	Knowing the weekly SLOGAN.
	4.	Doing work in a SAFE manner.
	5.	Developing IMPROVED safety procedures or environments.
	6.	SUGGESTION programs.

E.	Types of Incentive Awards
	1.	The Personal Touch – say thanks and shake hands
	2.	Time off from work
	3.	Commendations – letters or certificates
	4.	Family-oriented – such as tickets to sporting events or movies, dinners
	5.	Peer-group recognition – awards for groups who succeed together
	6.	Cash
	7.	Gift certificates
	8.	Pizza/BBQ, etc.

F.	The Major Obstacle for Incentive Programs: Uncorrected Actual or Perceived safety problems in the work environment.
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RESOLVING CONFLICT - SOME BASICS

By Jim Emerson

Ever wonder why, with all our good intentions, we end up being in some kind of conflict? It happens at work, at home, at the store, and with family, friends, coworkers, and service providers. Unfortunately, many of us don’t know how to handle ourselves in such situations. Instead of reducing the conflict, we become angry and hurt. We take a strong position and then attack or withdraw from the situation. Such an emotional reaction ends up hurting our relationships, not solving our problems.

Early in my professional conflict resolution training, my mentor asked me: If I asked you to give me permission to make you angry, what would you answer? I replied: I would not give you such permission. With this answer came the realization that no one else is responsible for my anger. I learned that the first rule in conflict resolution is to learn to take ownership for your own anger.

The second rule in conflict resolution is to omit the word you from your discussions with others, except to offer praise. The word you tends to be used to blame the other person and that is not what you want to do to prevent or resolve conflict. This rule works exceptionally well, but is initially awkward and requires lots of practice.

Question:	What should you do when conflict starts to begin?
Answer:	Avoid becoming angry, do not use the word you in discussion, and seek to lower tensions by gaining knowledge about the other persons’ thoughts and feelings.

Use the following four-step process: AVECS

Step 1:	Acknowledge the other persons’ anger and frustration.
Step 2:	Validate & Empathize (not necessarily agree) with their feelings
Step 3:	Clarify what they have said by asking questions about what they have said, how they feel about what is happening, and providing feedback about what you have heard. Ask them about their interests.
Step 4:	Summarize by paraphrasing all that you believe you have heard, including their interests, making sure you are open for any corrections they make.

Having actively listened to the other persons, you will go far in lowering tensions. Work with these people to help them understand your concerns and interests. Seek to identify as many shared interests as possible. Work together to find ways to resolve your differences and move forward.

Remember, conflict is a natural part of life, and an opportunity to grow and to learn about and strengthen relationships. Conflict is that sharp edge in our lives that hopefully causes us to focus our energy on seeking ways to help prevent, as well as resolve difficult situations. With a little practice, you can improve your conflict resolution skills at work and at home.

Try using the above tools. They can dramatically improve your relationships with others.

Bob@LapidusSafety.com