Safety interventions and culture change are quickly becoming two of the most important aspects of Safety Management, yet the research behind and skills needed to drive these principles is often misunderstood. This interactive workshop will teach a Human Factors approach to both interventions and culture and the participants will leave with a research proven strategy to drive intervention in their own organizations.

1. Creating a Culture of Intervention
Michael Allen

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Creating a Culture of Intervention
Agenda
‣ Overview of Intervention
‣ The Mechanisms Driving Culture
‣ Changing Culture
‣ Making Intervention Part of Your Culture

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Safety Intervention
Intervention
‣What is it?
‣Why is it important?

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Safety Intervention
How often do people
speak up when they
see something they
think is unsafe?

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Safety Intervention
People speak up only
39% of the time.
(2010 Study of Safety Intervention)
Read the Study in EHS Today
http://ehstoday.com/safety/management/study-safety-intervention-0701

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Culture: Like the water
we swim in
• We do not normally think
about it.
• We do not normally notice
its influence.
What Is Culture?

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Taken-for-granted
behaviors
Things that we do without
considering whether they are
right, wrong, proper or
improper.
What Is Culture?

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As a concept, it is often
confusing and nebulous.
If we can understand the
mechanisms that drive it, we
can make adjustments.
What Is Culture?

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Where does culture
come from?
It is the product of our brains
doing what they always do.
The Mechanisms

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Where does culture
come from?
It is the product of our brains
doing what they always do.
Problem Solve
Automate
+
Generalize
+
The Mechanisms

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Problem Solve
Our brains figure out a way
of doing things that works
in a given situation.
The Mechanisms

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Our brains are continually
trying to solve these two
problems:
How do I fit in (“cohere”)?
How do I achieve my goals?
?
Problem Solve
The Mechanisms

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Recognition
from Others
Safety Rules
Physical Layout
Resources
Communication
Threat of Discipline
Deadlines
Agendas
What Others Do ToolsEquipment
Career Opportunity
Bonus System
Pay Check
Temperature
Time Pressure
Workplace Layout
Incentive Program
The Mechanisms

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Deadlines
Tools
Recognition
from Others
Safety Rules
Physical Layout
Resources
Communication
Threat of Discipline
Agendas
What Others DoEquipment
Career Opportunity
Bonus System
Pay Check
Temperature
Time Pressure
Workplace Layout
Incentive Program
CONTEXT
The Mechanisms

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Systems
The Mechanisms
These are the organizational
influences on people’s
decisions and behaviors.
‣ Rules
‣ Procedures
‣ Incentives
‣ Schedule / Timing

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Surroundings
The Mechanisms
These are the physical
influences on people’s
decisions and behaviors.
‣ Equipment
‣ Resources
‣ Climate
‣ Layoute

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Others
The Mechanisms
These are the social influences
on people’s decisions and
behaviors.
‣ Modeling
‣ Pressure
‣ Praise & Criticism
‣ Help

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Others
The Mechanisms
Where they allocate resources
Who they promote/demote and why
Who they recognize/criticize/
reprimand and why
What values and expectations they
informally communicate
What values and expectations they
informally model
Leaders play a special role…

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Self
These are the personal
influences on people’s
decisions and behaviors.
‣ Knowledge
‣ Motivation
‣ Ability
‣ Attention
‣ Habits
The Mechanisms
Context

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Our brains then automate
the efforts that work within
a given context.
“Automation”
The Mechanisms

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Our brains then automate
the efforts that work within
a given context.
These become our “taken-
for-granted” behaviors.
“Automation”
The Mechanisms

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Changing Culture

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Change Context
and you
Change Culture
Changing Culture
Systems
Surroundings
Others
Self
Systems
Surroundings
Others
Self

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Culture of Intervention
© 2014 The RAD Group, LLC. All rights reserved. www.theradgroup.com 281.364.0063
3 Analyze the working context for factors that inhibit or undermine this specific behavior.
CULTURE CHANGE STRATEGY
4
Determine how to change the context so that it makes sense from individuals’ points of view to
adopt and automate this specific behavior.
‣ What needs to be done to change the context?
‣ What will you do personally to change the context?
‣ If you are in a leadership position, consider the “leaders’ culture embedding mechanisms.”
SELF
OTHERS
SURROUNDINGS
SYSTEMS
1
Identify the attributes of your desired safety culture.
For our current purposes, we will select “open communication about safety issues” as a cultural attribute.
2
Identify specific behaviors that exemplify this attribute.
For our current purposes, we will select “intervening in unsafe behaviors” as the exemplary behavior.
C R E A T I N G A C U L T U R E O F S A F E T Y I N T E R V E N T I O N
TM

25. 3 Analyze the working context for factors that inhibit or undermine this specific behavior.
CULTURE CHANGE STRATEGY
SELF
OTHERS
SURROUNDINGS
SYSTEMS
1
Identify the attributes of your desired safety culture.
For our current purposes, we will select “open communication about safety issues” as a cultural attribute.
2
Identify specific behaviors that exemplify this attribute.
For our current purposes, we will select “intervening in unsafe behaviors” as the exemplary behavior.
C R E A T I N G A C U L T U R E O F S A F E T Y I N T E R V E N T I O N
TM
Culture of Intervention

26. 3 Analyze the working context for factors that inhibit or undermine this specific behavior.
CULTURE CHANGE STRATEGY
SELF
OTHERS
SURROUNDINGS
SYSTEMS
1
Identify the attributes of your desired safety culture.
For our current purposes, we will select “open communication about safety issues” as a cultural attribute.
2
Identify specific behaviors that exemplify this attribute.
For our current purposes, we will select “intervening in unsafe behaviors” as the exemplary behavior.
C R E A T I N G A C U L T U R E O F S A F E T Y I N T E R V E N T I O N
TM
Culture of Intervention

27. 3 Analyze the working context for factors that inhibit or undermine this specific behavior.
CULTURE CHANGE STRATEGY
SELF
OTHERS
SURROUNDINGS
SYSTEMS
1
Identify the attributes of your desired safety culture.
For our current purposes, we will select “open communication about safety issues” as a cultural attribute.
2
Identify specific behaviors that exemplify this attribute.
For our current purposes, we will select “intervening in unsafe behaviors” as the exemplary behavior.
C R E A T I N G A C U L T U R E O F S A F E T Y I N T E R V E N T I O N
TM
Culture of Intervention

28. © 2014, The RAD Group, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution, in part or in whole, is forbidden unless permitted in writing by The RAD Group, LLC.
Step #3
Analyze the working context
to understand why people
do not intervene.
Systems
Surroundings
Others
Self
Systems
Surroundings
Others
Self
Culture of Intervention

29. © 2014, The RAD Group, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution, in part or in whole, is forbidden unless permitted in writing by The RAD Group, LLC.
DISCUSSION
What keeps people from speaking up in your
organization?
Culture of Intervention

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Culture of Intervention
Reactance
Social Incongruence
Confirmation Bias
+
+
The “Perfect Storm” of Inhibitors

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Culture of Intervention
Reactance
Social Incongruence
Confirmation Bias
+
+

32. © 2014, The RAD Group, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution, in part or in whole, is forbidden unless permitted in writing by The RAD Group, LLC.
Culture of Intervention
Reactance
Social Incongruence
Confirmation Bias
+
+

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Culture of Intervention
Reactance
The urge to resist or do the
opposite of what someone
tells you to do.

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Culture of Intervention
Become Defensive
Do Not Become Defensive
Across industries,
people become
noticeably defensive
28% of the time that
someone intervenes.
That’s about 1 out of
every 4 times

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Culture of Intervention
Become Angry
Do Not Become Angry
Across industries,
people become
noticeably angry 1
out of every 6 times
that someone
intervenes.

36. © 2014, The RAD Group, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution, in part or in whole, is forbidden unless permitted in writing by The RAD Group, LLC.
Culture of Intervention
Reactance
Social Incongruence
Confirmation Bias
+
+

37. © 2014, The RAD Group, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution, in part or in whole, is forbidden unless permitted in writing by The RAD Group, LLC.
Culture of Intervention
Social Incongruence
The stress that we feel when
we are in tension with others.

38. © 2014, The RAD Group, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution, in part or in whole, is forbidden unless permitted in writing by The RAD Group, LLC.
Culture of Intervention
Reactance
Social Incongruence
Confirmation Bias
+
+

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Culture of Intervention
Confirmation Bias
We are extremely good at
justifying what we have
already concluded.

40. © 2014, The RAD Group, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution, in part or in whole, is forbidden unless permitted in writing by The RAD Group, LLC.
Culture of Intervention
Confirmation Bias
“No one else has said
anything, so it must not be
that big of a deal.”

41. © 2014, The RAD Group, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution, in part or in whole, is forbidden unless permitted in writing by The RAD Group, LLC.
Culture of Intervention
Confirmation Bias
“He is an experienced
employee. He knows the risk
he’s taking.”

42. 3 Analyze the working context for factors that inhibit or undermine this specific behavior.
CULTURE CHANGE STRATEGY
SELF
OTHERS
SURROUNDINGS
SYSTEMS
1
Identify the attributes of your desired safety culture.
For our current purposes, we will select “open communication about safety issues” as a cultural attribute.
2
Identify specific behaviors that exemplify this attribute.
For our current purposes, we will select “intervening in unsafe behaviors” as the exemplary behavior.
C R E A T I N G A C U L T U R E O F S A F E T Y I N T E R V E N T I O N
TM
Culture of Intervention

43. 4
Determine how to change the context so that it makes sense from individuals’ points of view to
adopt and automate this specific behavior.
‣ What needs to be done to change the context?
‣ What will you do personally to change the context?
‣ If you are in a leadership position, consider the “leaders’ culture embedding mechanisms.”
OTHERS
SURROUNDINGS
SYSTEMS
Culture of Intervention

44. © 2014, The RAD Group, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution, in part or in whole, is forbidden unless permitted in writing by The RAD Group, LLC.
Culture Change Strategy
Step #4
Identify ways to change the
context so that speaking up
about safety issues…
‣is perceived as socially
expected and accepted,
‣and leads to personal
success.
Systems
Surroundings
Others
Self
Systems
Surroundings
Others
Self
Culture of Intervention

45. © 2014, The RAD Group, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution, in part or in whole, is forbidden unless permitted in writing by The RAD Group, LLC.
DISCUSSION
How could you change the context so that
speaking up…
‣Is perceived as socially expected and accepted?
‣Leads to personal success?
Culture of Intervention

46. © 2014, The RAD Group, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution, in part or in whole, is forbidden unless permitted in writing by The RAD Group, LLC.
When people are confident
that they can speak up
w i t h o u t p r o d u c i n g
defensiveness (“reactance”),
t h e y s t o p “ r e a s o n i n g
backwards.”
Culture of Intervention
Reactance
Social Incongruence
Confirmation Bias
➡
➡
One Piece of the Solution

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Culture of Intervention
ENABLE PEOPLE TO RECEIVE
INTERVENTION WITHOUT REACTANCE
Others
Self
Others

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Culture of Intervention
“The Reactance Habit”
We are inclined to resist and
react defensively when we
perceive that someone is
trying to control us.
ENABLE PEOPLE TO RECEIVE
INTERVENTION WITHOUT REACTANCE

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ENABLE PEOPLE TO CONDUCT
THE INTERVENTION CONVERSATION
WITHOUT TRIGGERING DEFENSIVENESS
Culture of Intervention
Others
Self
SYSTEMS
Self

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ENABLE PEOPLE TO CONDUCT
THE INTERVENTION CONVERSATION
WITHOUT TRIGGERING DEFENSIVENESS
STOP ASK FIX
Culture of Intervention

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STOP ASK FIX
SAY THE FIRST 10-20 WORDS TO STOP
THE UNSAFE OPERATION WITHOUT
TRIGGERING DEFENSIVENESS
Culture of Intervention

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STOP ASK FIX
UNCOVER THE REAL REASON(S) SO
THAT IT CAN BE CHANGED FOR GOOD.
Culture of Intervention

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STOP ASK FIX
FIND A WAY TO SUSTAINABLY
CHANGE BY FIXING THE REAL
UNDERLYING REASON(S).
Culture of Intervention

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Culture of Intervention
ENABLE LEADERS TO BE MODELS
OF EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION
SYSTEMS
Others
Self
Others

55. Creating a Culture of Intervention
Michael Allen

56. Resources for You
theradgroup.com/vpp-16
Access Slides
Ask Questions
Michael Allen
17th @ 11:30
18th @ 2:45
Mike Allen
17th @ 1:45 & 3:00
18th @ 10:00 & 1:15
Ron Ragain
17th @ 11:30 & 1:45
Phillip Ragain
18th @ 1:15 & 2:45