Building Culture: Principle 2

A nine-part introduction to the Principles of Culture Principle 2: All Staff Value the Safety Legacy they Create in their Discipline

Author: Dr. Lisa Lande

Principle 2, the next to last principle we will review in this nine-part series covering the eight Safe Conduct of Research Principles and tenets of healthy culture, was written specifically like so: “All staff value the safety legacy they create in their discipline”. With all due respect for this aspirational principle but to speak candidly, it is worded in a way that is most unlikely to resonate with the majority of staff who are also equally unlikely to see safety as central to their vision of legacy, of what they wish to pass on to those coming behind them. Do we really believe it is safety that stands central to the legacy staff come to work excited to realize, more so then the expertise they’ve devoted countless hours passionately pursuing? Certainly the answer to that question is “yes” if one’s life passion is the work of safety. But for most of us, it is not safety first that drives us, but safety that allows us to get there. For most of us, our chosen discipline and our commitment to achieving greatness within them, require safety to reign supreme, but are not our legacy’s focus. It is this awareness of safety’s role in our pursuit of legacy that seems important to highlight in today’s brief article.

Because organizations are getting smarter about what really matters in a good hire and are selecting staff who are not only technically competent but also interpersonally so, who are passionate about that work, and who perform it with integrity and conscientiousness, we are establishing a workforce that is critically aware of safety’s role in the attainment of their legacy. We are watching the emergence of a workforce that fully comprehends that safety in the system, operationally and psychologically, are a consequence of and also a catalyst to building and preserving legacy. So, as I have been want to do in this short series, I will take the liberty to subtly re-write Principle 2 to read: “All staff value safety in pursuit and protection of legacy”. Our job as managers, peers, and conscientious workers ourselves, is to recognize that the strength of our passion - the fuel behind legacy - correlates positively with the safe and secure conduct of operations brought to our discipline. We recognize that it behooves us to do our work thoughtfully and securely if we are passionate about leaving our mark on our discipline and advance it further. It is this aspect of today’s principle - how our staff’s passion for their work can so greatly encourage safe conduct of operations - that you are being encouraged to recognize and fuel with fervor. Each of us plays an important role in ensuring that work is executed safely and securely, not only to minimize risk but to also protect our personal legacy as well as that of the organization we serve. Hopefully each of you reading this article cares about that. And if you do not, then I urge you to reevaluate your own strength of purpose and make the changes needed to ensure you are working for an organization and discipline that you feel great pride and commitment to. It is critically important to do so, because passion facilitates focus, diligence, and ultimately legacy, while without it, pursuit is diffused. Nothing can damage reputation and impact legacy more than a careless action, often shepherding in delay, harm, or destruction. And these negative outcomes are much more likely to occur when our heart and minds are disengaged or disenfranchised from the work we are doing, but often averted when we are working in environments where our work is valued, where we are encouraged and supported, and where we take pride in that work. So managers reading this, I appeal to you to champion your staff’s commitment and sense of purpose so ardently, that it is second nature for all to perform their work as safely and securely as humanly possible.

Here are a few tips to help you fully value the legacy of your discipline so that learning never stops and safety always reigns.

1. Legacy starts with the hire.

The best way to ensure staff value the legacy they create through their discipline and ensure it is done safely and securely, begins with the hiring process. LANL and many leading Institutions, have historically hired for educational pedigree and technical experience. Yet equally powerful in the creation of one’s legacy and reputation, is strength of character and depth of commitment brought to that work. For you in the hiring seat, it isn’t rocket science to see and hear excitement for the work one interviews for, so start looking for it. And when it comes to character, though a bit more difficult to ascertain in an interview, a solid background check and candid discussions with references can prove very helpful. You might consider adding a few questions - called behavioral interview questions - into your interview process that ask candidates to describe how they have managed or would manage an ethical challenge. It is not unlikely you will pick up on cues that either confirm conscientiousness or not, so observe and listen for these. If your “gut” says something isn’t right, it probably isn’t. So seek to identify what those cues were that led you to that conclusion, and capture or quantify these to share with the hiring committee to consider. By the way, you can learn more about behavioral interview techniques through a Google search or a consult with your HR department.

And you job seekers out there reading this, you are equally culpable in ensuring legacy is met, in partnership with your management. If you are not already doing so, start paying attention to your passion level for the work you are doing and if it has waned over a noticeable period of time or was never there, reflect on what you can do to take care. Also, be conscientious, and know that every action you demonstrate has an impact on your reputation and your eventual legacy. Be thoughtful about the formation of that reputation, because it is a huge part of your legacy along with the technical work you execute. Mold your legacy with intention.

2. Overtly acknowledge and reinforce safe work furthering legacy.

Remember: When we focus on the “what must and does go right” in the work we do in equal if not greater measure to what can and does go wrong in that work, we set ourselves and others up for success. Too often we take for granted the good work that meets or exceeds objectives. So don’t. Make a conscious effort to specifically and as close to the event as possible, call out and share the correct and good work you, your team, or others have done and are doing. But more, link this good work to your own and their ability to further legacy, one’s own as well as the Institutions. This is an amazingly easy way to reinforce and realize this principle, so how come we so often miss the opportunity to do so? Just make the conscious and overt link between passion for work and its safe and secure execution.

3. Help staff recognize that the quality of their relationships and their ability to communicate, factor into the strength of their legacy.

Thanks to the good work of Blanchard and others, we know that strong interpersonal skills factor into strong performance - and ultimately legacy - more so than does technical expertise. By no means do these finding indicate skills and experience don’t count when we speak about reputation and legacy. But individuals who are strong in these essential interpersonal and communication skills, tend to excel. Why? Because individuals strong in essential skills remain more aware of their environments and as a consequence, adapt themselves flexibly and optimize every situation.  Hence their work as well as their interactions remain strong. And these stellar interpersonal and communication skills circle back around to enhance their technical performance in a positive feedback loop and ultimately all in support of reputation and legacy. Pretty cool. Now if you don’t have these skills naturally, no worries: essential skills can be developed and strengthened. Seek out coursework within your organization and externally. There are on-line resources as well as intensive workshops taking place all over the globe that can help you perform even more effectively. And managers reading this, ensure you encourage your staff to build these skills themselves, but also ensure you demonstrate them yourself. Because by doing so, you will not only enhance your own credibility as a leader - in essence your own reputation and legacy as an effective manager - but will further your staff’s ability to strengthen and build their own legacy. And let’s not forget that in doing so, you continue to foster the safe and healthy culture we are striving to create and sustain.

The Next and Last Article, Principle 1: Everyone is personally responsible for ensuring safe operations 

8. A healthy respect is maintained for what can go wrong and must go right

7. Hazards are identified and evaluated for every task, every time 

6. Learning never stops  

5. A questioning attitude is cultivated 

4. Cutting edge science requires cutting edge safety 

3. Staff raise safety concerns because trust permeates the organization 

2. All staff value the safety legacy they create in their discipline 

1. Everyone is personally responsible for ensuring safe operations