Respect as a Key Dimension of Safety Leadership and Culture

Visiting different parts of the world is one of the many benefits of my work. Right now, I am traveling through Italy and having a great time. In Italy, the cultural aspects and variations of a country much older than my own, helps me to see things through a broader lens, which I appreciate. Processing what I am seeing and hearing is sometimes difficult, but it’s an important part of gaining newer insights. But, much of this begins with respect for others.  

In terms of managing and improving safety within our own organizations, it is important to step back, and take on the broader perspectives of others in order to open our minds to greater outcomes.

Varying perspectives and ongoing dialogue offers greater possibilities that can advance the cause and practice of improving safety in our world. However, I believe there is an important starting point to obtaining these perspectives and creating ongoing dialogue. That starting point is respect.

Being respectful to everyone within our organization can’t be overlooked because respect leads to increased dialogue and tolerance, and greater tolerance leads to greater acceptance.

Showing limited respect leads to minimal dialogue and acceptance of others at various management levels, which in-turn limits broader views of strategic thinking and the ability to move forward, at or near the top where it’s absolutely critical. Both respect and a lack of respect trickle down.

When there’s a lack of respect, dialogue, tolerance, and in-group acceptance, it becomes most visible at the worker level. It’s here where its absence and lack of tolerance for individual differences leads to poorer communications, a lessening of care and concern for others, confusion, and ultimately accidents.

A low degree of respect and acceptance shown to others will not help to build teamwork and cohesiveness. A low degree of respect is evidenced by bad-mouthing, gossiping, ostracizing, and purposely limiting the thoughts, opinions, and usefulness of others. The problem with initiating, accepting, or perpetuating these types of limiting actions is that the table can and will turn for anyone, at anytime, especially within these kinds of groups. You might be considered a valuable part of the “team” one week, and cut off from that group by the following week. In these groups, do you ever know who has your back or who’s looking out for your safety?

Work groups that have great leadership don’t accept exclusion but promote inclusion. Groups that create ongoing dialogue will take time to hear each other out, practice patience and tolerance, fight fairly, and work toward acceptance of each other. These particular groups are also better able to move through barriers, changing and challenging hazards and work conditions, and they draw from the collective knowledge of the group and its broader forms of inclusive decision-making.

It makes good sense to listen to the newer worker, and individuals who come from different industries, and from varied backgrounds. These kinds of groups also tend to help the supervisor who has limited experience and needs the patience of others so he or she can hear from the entire group. In turn, this leads to more informed decisions for the safety and benefit of his entire team. But it begins with respect.

Within this writing, I could have addressed respect for the profession of safety or one’s role within safety. I could have also highlighted respect for many issues and concerns within safety but all seemed so impersonal. But showing respect for each other throughout the hierarchy in our organizations and within our professional relationships, now that’s a different story!

Bottom line, greater respect leads to greater dialogue and greater tolerance, and greater tolerance leads to greater acceptance. And greater acceptance leads to better decisions, which ultimately brings people together as safer and more productive work units.

Most all of us have observed how a lack of respect hurts the individual and the organization in a multitude of ways. But you’ve got to start somewhere, so don’t trivialize the importance of respect. It’s a great starting point and part of your foundation to higher levels of safety achievement.