Article

Safety cats take the lead

So often in life we are too busy to lead. Most of us are just trying to follow or get out of the way.

Harry Chapin wrote a song about failure to lead in his classic tune “Cat’s in the Cradle,” which is about a father who never made time for his son. In the end, the roles were reversed and the son defiantly didn’t have time for the father. It is poetic irony put to music that is as true today as it was when it was written 35 years ago.

In relationships, like farming or gardening, we reap what we sow, and sometimes that explains crop failure. In safety, sometimes it explains accidents. When it comes to safety, we all need extended leadership and nurturing.

Take a second to reflect on those times in your life when someone chose to lead, encourage, teach and inspire, at a time when you needed such influence and guidance. It may have been related to sports or school or music or love or your current job. We all have memories of folks who took the time to be leaders in our lives.

Who makes and takes the time at your company to extend safety leadership? Who inspires you to do the right thing in the face of distraction? Was it some trainer from a past company or a now-retired journeyman? Maybe it’s time to pick up the phone and thank them.

I had such an experience while speaking to the Propane Gas Defense Association in Atlanta. One marketer/manager came out of the crowd and mentioned that after reading my book, “The Practice of Safety,” in 2006 he was inspired to work harder on the practice of safety. While serving his company, community and industry, he was recognized as the 2007 recipient of the NPGA Safety Award. His name is Tim Spicer from Tiger Fuel Co.

I don’t remember each book sale, but as I read his nametag I recalled writing him a congratulatory note in 2007 when he won the award. It has long been my assertion that the award should be given each year. The ripples of extended leadership can be a powerful force.

While in Atlanta at the same convention, I ran into a past acquaintance, an executive for whom I worked years ago and now is in a senior position with another large company. We had shared some anxious moments in the past over safety and protecting the bottom line. He is known throughout his current company as being very proactive when it comes to safety. Employees are inspired to repeat their leader’s quote: “He says not on my watch.”

I believe that company’s future is bright and safe.

Extended safety leadership starts at the top or it rarely starts at all. With that said, we are all safety leaders. Remember the quote about the janitor at NASA who saw his job as helping put a man on the moon? Let’s learn from this powerful example. While we are at it, let’s empower all employees, at every level, to see their job as a mission to be safe.

Leadership is a quality that is rare and beautiful in the sense that we are planting seeds for future safety success. The act of leadership requires sacrifice, and if you do it right, in the end, you will see it was no sacrifice at all. You helped make the world a better place through extended leadership.

You may be too old for the cradle, but it’s never too late to become a safety cat.