As a safety professional, I recently found myself revisiting Charlie Chaplin's iconic speech from "The Great Dictator." Two quotes, in particular, struck a chord:
"Knowledge has made us cynical, our cleverness hard and unkind."
"Are we guilty of thinking too much and feeling too little?"
These words, spoken decades ago, resonated deeply with a recent conversation I had with my colleague, Bruce Brodie. We discussed a provocative question: Are we, as safety professionals, guilty of doing 'too much'?
The Overreaction Trap
This idea of 'too much' isn't new. Greg Smith, a recent guest on my podcast, touched on this very concept. He pointed out that we often fall into the trap of throwing everything we have at every incident, regardless of its severity or potential impact. In doing so, we risk losing focus on the truly critical risks that demand our attention.
It's as if we're using cannonballs to kill mosquitoes – an approach that's not just inefficient, but potentially counterproductive.
Thinking vs. Feeling in Safety
Chaplin's words about thinking too much and feeling too little seem particularly apt here. In our profession, we're trained to think critically, to analyse, to prevent. But have we taken this to an extreme? In our quest to prevent every possible incident, have we forgotten to consider how our actions affect our colleagues?
Perhaps it's time to moderate our desire to 'think' through every scenario and instead take time to 'feel' the impact of our approach on those we work with and protect.
Towards a Humanistic Approach
By balancing our analytical skills with empathy and understanding, we might just find a more effective, humanistic approach to safety. This doesn't mean abandoning our rigorous standards or lowering our guard against serious risks. Rather, it's about recognising that safety is ultimately about people – not just statistics and procedures.
Here are a few ways we can start shifting towards this balanced approach:
1. Prioritise critical risks: Focus our most intensive efforts on the areas that pose the greatest potential harm.
2. Consider the human factor: When implementing new procedures, think about how they'll impact the day-to-day work of our colleagues.
3. Foster open communication: Create an environment where people feel comfortable discussing safety concerns without fear of overreaction.
4. Learn from near-misses thoughtfully: Instead of treating every near-miss as a catastrophe-in-waiting, use them as opportunities for constructive learning and improvement.
Wrap Up
As safety professionals, our goal is to protect and preserve human life and well-being. By finding a balance between thoughtful analysis and empathetic understanding, we can create safer environments without losing sight of the people we're protecting.
Let's take Chaplin's words to heart and strive for a safety culture that's not just clever, but also kind – one that thinks deeply but also feels deeply. In doing so, we may find that we're not just more effective in our roles, but also more fulfilled in our mission to keep our colleagues safe.
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