Page 57 - Occupational Health & Safety, October 2018

Employees are always watching how we in- teract with them and notice when things change, even subtle things. It’s never too late to start those positive interactions that build influence.
6. Learn the Work:
Field employees appreciate it when you take an interest in learning their work. They take great pride in the work they do and usually are willing to teach you everything you want to know about the work. This will go a long way in building relationships and, with that, all-important influence. It will also give you a better understanding of the job and potential hazards of the work. Just besureyoudonotgetinthewayorput yourself in an unsafe position.
7. Leave the Clipboard in the Truck: This is about employee interaction, not about checking off a box on a list. Get out, shake hands, and don’t be afraid to get a little dirty if necessary. Ask employees what can be done to enhance the safety of their job. Be a good listener when engaging in dialogue. If you offer to follow up on an is- sue with an employee, do so. Nothing will damage your creditability faster than not fol- lowing up on something you said you would do. If your company requires that a check- list be filled out, do it back in the pickup truck or the office.
8. Do Not Become an Enabler
of Unsafe Behavior:
If you see something that is not right or a violation of a safety rule, you will need to deal with it. If you ignore it, you will en- able a dysfunctional culture and you will undermine your creditability. Essentially, you become part of the problem and not the solution. By ignoring an issue, you communicate to everyone on the job site that it is acceptable to take a safety short- cut. By dealing with the issue in a fair, firm, respectful way, you will establish yourself as someone who is consistent, professional, and caring.
9. Focus on the Positive:
Make it a point to identify positive things. Show you appreciation to the crew for a job safely done. Make sure the team’s supervisor or manager is aware of what a good, safe job their employees are doing.
Success breeds success. Be specific in
pinpointing those employees and the be- haviors that went into making this a safe effort. Remember, this reflects on the boss, as well. Make it a point to share these posi- tive experiences with the leadership team when the opportunity presents itself. I’m surprised by how many professionals miss this important opportunity to work both up and down the leadership chain.
10. Show Resiliency:
When things go “wrong,” which they some- times can, listen to employees with empa- thy, ask for clarity, paraphrase to indicate you heard their concerns and are truly interested in understanding their position. Avoid defensive postures. If you promise to “check into” an issue or follow up, do so as soon as possible.
If you make a mistake, own up to it. Humans have a tendency to occasionally make mistakes. People respect individuals who own up and accept responsibility. It’s being able to learn from those mistakes and bouncing back to your energetic, passionate self that is the mark of a true professional.
These are “10 Traits” that will show em- ployees you are a caring, passionate profes- sional, more interested in their going home safe to their families and loved ones than in being a “safety cop.” These techniques will build relationships and the all-importance in- fluence to succeed in culture change even if it means building it one person at a time.
Bruce Bolger is owner and principal of the Bruce Bolger Company, LLC, located in El- bridge, N.Y. He is a Certified Safety Profes- sional (CSP) and Certified Hazardous Mate- rials Manager (CHMM) focusing on safety, human performance and transformational leadership. Bruce has more than 38 years’ ex- perience with high-performance work teams, including nuclear power, electric & gas utili- ties, manufacturing, and consulting. He has worked as a vice president of safety for PAR Electrical Contractors and as a safety direc- tor with Northeast Utilities/Eversource En- ergy. Bruce has been a Leadership Academy Instructor for Northeast Utilities, training on safety, culture change, and supervisor/ manager development, and also was a se- nior safety consultant with DuPont Safety Resources out of Wilmington, Del. He can be reached at BruceBolgerCompany@gmail. com, www.brucebolger.com, or by phone at 860-466-9654.
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