KEEPING YOUR SAFETY TEAM ALIVE (Part I)

This is the first of a three part series on ways to add energy to your safety team (or committee if you prefer), so they stay invigorated. Too often safety teams (and the meetings they attend) lose their life and become stale. Here are some tips on ways to prevent that from happening:

Experiment

Nothing dulls a team like repetition. If your team does the same thing month after month call for the funeral director. You’ve got to do new things. Try stuff. Brainstorm at some of your meetings. Brainstorm with no limits. One of my favorite ways to invigorate a team is to get them to design a fun and unusual safety & health marketing plan.

Cut Down On the Rehash

All right already! You’ve discussed hazard number seven on your list of outstanding items during the last 56 meetings. Drop it. Put it somewhere where your team won’t have to see (or talk about it) for a while. I’ve held superb safety and health team meetings where we were forbidden to talk about anything we’ve discussed at previous meetings. They were fun too because I picked someone to be our re-hash facilitator. I gave them a bell which they joyfully hit whenever a “previous meeting topic” was mentioned.

You should include previous meeting minutes and other long-term items in your meeting agenda, just don’t re-hash stuff that isn’t changing. It’s tedious and boring.

Publicize Accomplishments

“Look what your safety and health team is doing!” That cry should be heard far and wide throughout your company. Posters, e-mail, table tents, personal contacts, signs, at meetings of every sort, or any other avenue you can think of to get attention–use it. You should constantly keep your mind’s eye open for opportunities to flaunt the team’s deeds and milestones. (Yes, flaunt, remember the team is doing positive things for everyone’s safety and health.)

“But Rich, won’t it seem like we’re bragging?” No. Not if you publicize your accomplishments and avoid advertising the team’s finer qualities. If you declare that the team is wonderful, then yes, it will turn people off. Most people do not think a football team is “bragging” when it proclaims “we are this year’s Super Bowl champions!” If they say “we are wonderful” well that’s a different kind of crowing.

Besides getting and keeping the support of the guys and gals with big offices, you’ll also stimulate pride in the team–a beautiful thing.

Do Not Let Conflicts and Problems Simmer

When I was the “Safety Department Representative” for a safety team at Hope Creek Generating Station (a nuclear power plant in South Jersey), there was a fellow on our team who arrived at each meeting with a nasty, negative attitude. He sucked the energy and joy out of every meeting. Eventually, I talked to him about it. He quit the team. Hurray!!

I was much less experienced then. Today, I would talk to him about his attitude after the first or second meeting instead of waiting for nearly a year! If there is a problem that’s bringing the team down, whatever it is, address it right away. Don’t let it simmer.

My next “Keeping Your Safety Team Alive” blog will start with one of my favorite ways to get a team revved-up and energized.

If you’d like me to work with your safety team to