‘Culture “Change”’ Articles

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Gambling with Safety

June 15th, 2011

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Why companies unknowingly put
themselves at risk

It’s probably a fair statement to say that companies are interested in supporting a safe work environment in their organizations. But it is all too apparent through today’s news headlines that organizations gamble with safety, including Sky Express, a bus company that had a recent deadly crash in Virginia. While bus companies and other government regulated industries have legislation in place to protect the public, private organizations are on their own to ensure that their safety practices yield safety by design.

In this latest video blog, Judy Agnew, co-author of Safe by Accident?, discusses the misnomer of incident rate as a predominant indicator of a company’s safety level and why companies need to invest in the science of behavior in order to manage all aspects of safety.

Behavior 101, Behavior Based Safety, Consequences, Culture "Change", Positive Reinforcement, punishment

A Perspective on Culture and Brand Japan, post-tsunami

May 31st, 2011

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Guest post by Darnell Lattal, Ph.D.

tsunami1I came across an article from NPR (Of War and Kisses: How Adversity Shapes Culture) that provides great context for how cultures are shaped and nurtured.  Before I go further, I think it’s important to add ADI’s definition of culture as a back drop for what defines a culture: Patterns of behavior (what we say and do), encouraged or discouraged (purposefully or inadvertently) by people or systems over time.

The article suggests that a culture can be shaped by its experience with major events and how the people of that culture come together collectively to address challenges. There is no better example of this than Japan.

Through the years, we have had the good fortune to develop a strong relationship with our Japanese friends and alliance partners at WILL-PM.  I co-authored a book (written in Japanese) with Jun Ishida-san, CEO of WILL-PM, on workplace stress in Japan. Through this experience, I know that the cultural implications for behavior in Japan may not always be ideal and many cultural mandates or ‘rules of conduct’ can impede a feeling of wellbeing. But, what we have seen, post-tsunami, from the people of Japan paints a picture of a broad set of rules of culture unlike most.

The 10 items listed below came to me from a friend in Singapore who said she got it from someone in Malaysia, but beyond that, the original author is not known. This list states the value and, importantly, provides behaviorally anchored examples.

HATS OFF TO BRAND JAPAN: 10 things to learn about the Japanese culture.

  1. THE CALM: Not a single visual of chest-beating or wild grief. Sorrow itself has been elevated [although grief was present and pain was visible; there are many ways to express pain].
  2. THE DIGNITY: Disciplined queues for water and groceries. Not a rough word or a crude gesture.
  3. THE ABILITY: The incredible architects, for instance. Buildings swayed but didn’t fall.
  4. THE GRACE: People bought only what they needed for the present, so everybody could get something.
  5. THE ORDER: No looting in shops. No honking and no overtaking on the roads; just understanding.
  6. THE SACRIFICE: Fifty workers stayed back to pump sea water in the N-reactors. How will they ever be repaid?
  7. THE TENDERNESS: Restaurants cut prices. An unguarded ATM is left alone. The strong cared for the weak.
  8. THE TRAINING: The old and the children, everyone knew exactly what to do. And they did just that.
  9. THE MEDIA: They showed magnificent restraint in the bulletins. No silly reporters. Only calm reportage.
  10. THE CONSCIENCE: When the power went off in a store, people put things back on the shelves and left quietly!

There is much to admire about Brand Japan, and right now we, in America, are talking about lessons we might take as to how to embed certain culturally predictable values in how our people respond to crisis.  It is quite likely you would have seen many of these traits during our own various disasters, but you would also have seen looting and stealing for example and we often highlighted the exceptions.  The Japanese stood out because of the consistent response across a great many, with no fanfare or discussion of how noble people were. The newspapers were not seeking out the rare individual who demonstrated amazing grace. That grace was everywhere.  Lessons can and should also be taken here about how we are designing our workplaces as cultural incubation centers in America. Actionable Values—mission driven and anchored—to what we say and do is essential to creating that amazing brand we all want in our work life and in our culture.

Read more on this subject at www.pmezine.com where ADI business partner Jun Ishida was recently interviewed for an article called Changing the Way Japan Works.

Culture "Change", Leadership

Mining Safety No Reality in Coal TV Series

April 25th, 2011

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Guest post by Don Nielsen 

CoalSpike TV’s show Coal provides a window into the practices of the Cobalt coal mine in McDowell County, West Virginia.  The series clearly presents the pressure to bring the coal to the surface and produce enough revenue to stay in business while demonstrating the dangers of traditional coal mining in dark, wet, and cramped spaces with the ever present danger of cave-ins in the physical spaces of life underground.  There are also very real dangers facing the coal miners themselves, such as the ongoing possibility of coal dust explosions and exposure to pneumoconiosis or black lung disease; realities for all those who enter the mine each day. 

In my work with clients in mines, this show causes much discussion—much concern.  Safety issues evident in the first few episodes raise questions about the real effort to keep each other safe.   An operator moved equipment, crushing the power cable and nearly hitting a fellow miner. Miners I work with point out that the miners moving the equipment should have engaged in safe behaviors such as communicating with and making visual contact with everyone in the area to avoid potential line-of-fire dangers. In this same episode loose roof material was pulled down, using a pick hammer, nearly crushing two miners. If putting safety first is a concern, miners should pull down the loose roof material using a long bar in a process called “barring down.” Additional concerns noted from this episode were the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) including safety glasses, hearing protection, and respirators, which are typically standard in most mines. Supervisors in the Coal series say “Let’s work safe today” but there appears to be no focus on establishing and maintaining safe behaviors, in fact a dangerous disregard for all—even when it is clear that, as the TV camera captures,  there are strong relationships and respect among the miners on the show. 

Telling workers that he wants them to work safely today is likely a true expression of the mine supervisor’s feeling.  He certainly does not want anyone hurt, he doesn’t want a lawsuit, he doesn’t want a work stoppage, or grieving families, and certainly not unwanted publicity.  The owners of Cobalt Coal have personal friends, maybe even family working underground.  I do not doubt for a moment that they truly care about the people as well as their company.  They also care about production. We see a clear relationship between the amount of coal produced, the behavior that is required to produce the coal, and the likelihood that the company will remain profitable enough to stay open for another week.  (This coal mine, in that respect, is different from large operations in which production quotas are established to maintain and increase large profit levels- not merely keep the doors open.)   The words “let’s work safe today” though sincere, are just words; not tied to behaviors to ensure that safe acts occurred.    Unless the miners practice safe procedures and are reinforced for using them, safe behavior (particularly if it is more difficult or slower than unsafe behavior) is unlikely to occur in the mine.  Grabbing the closest tool to bring down loose –rock was the quickest and easiest, though not the safest, thing to do. And if the proper tool was not available, the safer thing to do was not available to the miner.  Commitment to safety must be linked from the behaviors of the owner (providing procedures, tools, and reinforcement systems) to the supervisors to the individuals engaged in the work.

This reality show is most upsetting to my colleagues in the mines because it makes light of the very real acts of caring, the daily effort of miners everywhere to stay safe and keep their fellow miners safe as well. They still make production targets, but never at the expense of life and limb.  As this reality show continues over the next few weeks, I hope to see some changes in their strategies and an increase in safe behaviors.  If not, there is nothing to feel about this ‘reality show’ but extreme sadness about the carelessness shown for the human life at hand.

Editor’s note: At the end of the first show, the mine owners were informed that they were in trouble for violating safety guidelines. While the immediacy with which this was brought to their attention is good, the fundamental issue is, how many like-minded, eager and friendly coal mine owners are out there doing just this again…making a priority of trying to keep the operations going over safe practices.

Image via TrinityDC.edu

Behavior Based Safety, Consequences, Culture "Change"

Steve Jobs: Recent appearance raises the question of Legacy Planning

March 3rd, 2011

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steve-jobsSure the Apple community was thrilled yesterday when the man who runs what is arguably the most highly valued tech company in the world, took to the stage to launch its latest product amidst stepping down just a little over a month ago due to health problems. 

Was Steve Jobs presence out of pure passion for what he started or to alleviate investor concerns that Apple can survive and thrive in his absence? How does a company stay on course when such iconic leaders step down?

Legacy planning has become a timely topic. With high-profile CEOs, we often think of them as icons and lose sight of them as human beings with identifiable qualities and a tangible vision that can be nurtured and sustained throughout the rest of the company. The best legacy plan is one that understands a leader’s greatness in terms of very specific attributes and behaviors and can promote them in others.

Consider this as you look at whether or not your organization has a legacy plan in place:

  • What do the signs tell you? Organizations with high turnover rates or ones that don’t clearly communicate their missions and values are at risk for employees not believing there is such a legacy plan. Employees that don’t see initiative and innovation in the company’s leaders are left to wonder what the future holds for the organization, and for them.
  • Is Creativity alive and well? It is untrue that some are born creative and others are not.  Creativity is a behavior, not a static quality. It can and should be cultivated and encouraged just like any other behavior.
  • Are you truly bringing out the best in your employees? It’s as simple as making sure positive reinforcement is the primary driver of the organizational culture. People can be reinforced in a way that allows them to become the best and brightest.  Create a culture where managers are rewarded for how well they develop – not just hire – smart, talented people.

Legacy planning can be one of the most important plans an organization has in place.  Whether you are at the top of the organization or not, there are ways to contribute to building your company’s legacy. It starts and ends with how we manage behavior.


Behavior 101, Culture "Change", Leadership

Safety in the News: Why we are still “Safe by Accident”

February 7th, 2011

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Guest post by Don Nielsen

Two recent articles, one in USA Today and another in the Wall Street Journal are once again illustrating unfortunate examples of organizations (and industries) that are at risk for being safe by accident.

Oil giant BP reported in the Wall Street Journal that it is “ensuring that lessons learned from the Gulf disaster will lead to improvements in operations and contractor services in deep-water drilling.”  The same article also describes the vigilance of one BP leader at Alaska’s North Slope who worked tirelessly to report and follow up on all safety concerns he saw and that were reported to him. He was a leader who gained the trust and commitment of the men and women who put their safety at risk each and every day. Unfortunately, after some time, BP showed him the exit, leaving safety to chance once again.

Changing the BP safety culture may be a daunting task if history repeats itself. With a new Chief Executive, BP will undoubtedly institute new safety programs, attempting to improve their safety culture. Companies often change their approach to safety, using new programs and practices designed to address safety metrics, only to have their culture of safety remain unchanged. These companies MUST understand that only approaches based in science, the science of behavior analysis, are effective in the long term.

The airline industry, on the other hand, reported that there were no US airline fatalities in 2010, continuing a trend toward safer skies. The USA Today article identified new rules and better training as part of the recent reduction in airline fatalities. The article goes on to report, “In the entire First World, fatal crashes are at the brink of extinction.” This assertion was based on no deaths in US airline accidents in the years 2007, 2008, and 2010. The last fatal accident occurred February 12, 2009 when 49 people onboard a Colgan Air Bombardier and one person on the ground were killed in Buffalo. Is this cause for celebration or concern? Incident rates alone will not guarantee a strong culture of safety in the airline industry or in any other industry or organization. We must be cautious of these and other examples and look more closely at how safe behavior is managed and supported in organizations to know if we are indeed safe by design.

I highly encourage anyone that has a hand in the safety of their people or their organization read Safe By Accident? Take the Luck out of Safety – Leadership Practices that Build a Sustainable Safety Culture by my colleagues Judy Agnew and Aubrey Daniels. This book calls out the signs that companies are gambling with safety including focusing too heavily on incident rate as a metric of safety management and relying on training, policies and procedures to ensure safety compliance.

Behavior Based Safety, Culture "Change"

Survey Says?

January 20th, 2011

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surveySurveys can uncover a lot, but it’s what you do with that information that counts. While organizations commonly use surveys to gather information and identify opportunities for improvement, very few organizations capitalize on the investment of their people’s time and trust. Let’s face it, everywhere you look someone is asking for input on your experience with someone or something. Whether it’s at the checkout line, from a service department, in your office or on the phone, people want to know what you think. But how often do you ever hear back on your feedback? Organizations that properly prepare and follow up with survey respondents will gain more in the long run.

The following tips will help you take care of those who are making the effort to provide you with open and honest survey feedback.

Tell them why: Properly prepare your survey respondents by telling them why you are looking for their feedback and what you plan to do with it. Ideally this explanation will specify a future benefit for them such as improved customer service, enhanced product features, or simpler online tools.

Ask fewer questions: Have you ever started an online survey that fools you into thinking that the survey is short but then ends up asking what seems like 20 sets of five questions? Surveys, like conversations, should end before someone starts to think, “I’ve had enough of this.” The fewer questions you ask, the more likely the survey respondents will be to complete future surveys, and the more you will carefully consider what you’re asking and why you’re asking it. This applies to comment questions too. By including fewer questions that ask for comments, you’ll get better quality written feedback and avoid respondents being burned out before they get to critical questions. (Of course, you’re only asking critical questions, right?)

Ask the right questions: Before you write a single question, clearly identify the objectives of your survey and the information that you’ll need to plan meaningful follow-up. Be certain to ask questions that provide you with objective data.  With objective data, you can pinpoint behaviors that you want more of (those that are contributing to better performance) and those you want less of (those that are keeping you from the results you want). If survey respondents are scratching their head when completing the survey, wondering why in the world you are asking some of your questions, they are likely to begin thinking that you are wasting their time. If your survey is well crafted, it will tell you what you think you need to know and what the respondents think you need to know—what is important to them. If the respondents never think, “I’m glad they asked that!” when completing your survey, you’ve probably missed the mark.

Keep it confidential:  Be sure to administer your survey in a way that provides strict anonymity for the respondents. If you are administering the survey internally, ensure those involved in the survey administration process understand the importance of keeping data confidential, including written feedback. Nothing will shut down responding to surveys faster than fear that responses and comments will be traced back to individuals.

Close the loop:  Thank respondents when they complete the survey. At the end of the survey period, announce the overall response rate and thank those who completed the survey.  As soon as possible afterwards, provide a high-level summary of the survey results and your plan to make improvements where necessary.

Act on the data: You’ve got the data, now do something with it! Identify what is working and what is not.  Prepare specific plans for improvement and define measures for success. Responding to surveys will extinguish if the respondents feel like no one ever acts on their feedback.

Communicate your progress: Let the survey respondents know what you are doing and how it is going.  By communicating along the way, you’ll help reinforce their speaking up and create an engaged workforce or customer base that feels like it is making a real difference.

Check your progress: Your survey results are only as good as your last survey.  Take time to respond to what you learn from your initial survey but be sure to follow up in 6 to 12 months and survey again.  The more you ask your employees for input, and then take action on what you learn, the more your employees will offer feedback for improvement.

If interested, I suggest you learn more about ADI surveys and take a free survey demo.

Culture "Change", feedback, Leadership, Performance, Results

Oops #13: Mergers, Acquisitions, and Other Forms of Reorganizing

October 25th, 2010

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alliance photoMergers, acquisitions, and other forms of reorganization have increased dramatically over the last decade, and with increased globalization they will continue into the foreseeable future. However, if they are done in the same way in the future as in the past, millions, no billions, of dollars will be wasted!

In this podcast Richard Warner and I discuss how to do them differently or, what to do instead.

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Culture "Change", Mergers & Acquisitions, Podcasts, punishment

Leadership Debacle at The Tribune Company

October 7th, 2010

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Tribune Towers

Interesting and scary New York Times article on how bad management practices at the top of The Tribune Company have trickled down and poisoned the company’s culture, kept it stuck in bankruptcy.

What management practices do you see or have you seen in your company or others that poison the culture…would love to hear from you.

At Flagging Tribune, Tales of a Bankrupt Culture

Culture "Change", Leadership, Promotions

Lessons from BP

September 21st, 2010

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CB003410-with Judy Agnew

CEBViews recently posted an article Learning from BP  (Steven Williams, 9-9-10) which outlines three lessons that are worthy of executive and management attention. Their first point is one we write about in our upcoming book Safe By Accident?, that creating a truly safe workplace requires developing a culture where all employees are willing to speak up, share dissenting views, express concerns, report near misses, etc. Such behavior must be actively reinforced since the natural consequences associated with production pressure and deadlines discourage it. The article also points to better training around decision making in adverse conditions. Again, we agree, as long as that training includes practice, not just discussion. We should take a page from pilot training here; flight simulators provide the opportunity to gain fluency in decision making under adverse conditions. Classroom training will not have the same success.

Behavior Based Safety, Consequences, Culture "Change", Leadership, Positive Reinforcement

Outsourced: New show bound to spotlight what NOT to do when managing in new cultures

September 20th, 2010

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outsourcedfinalI can’t help but think that Outsourced, a new workplace comedy scheduled to air this week, will give us another reason to laugh at potential real-life business scenarios. In a vein similar to The Office, this show centers around an American manager who relocates to run a call center in India, and how he interacts with the cast of characters he is charged with managing.

The premise of this fictitious show reminds me of the challenges organizations face in managing different cultures in a global environment and the one common mistake that most make—thinking people are different in other countries.  As a matter of fact, I made this mistake early in my career too!  My client, a textile company in Italy, was the first work we had done outside the U.S.  We had trained an internal consultant, Enrico, to assist in implementing a performance improvement initiative in seven of their plants.  At lunch on the day Enrico was to return to Italy, we were discussing the details of the implementation when I remarked “I sure do hope this works in Italy.”  He responded, “It will work in Italy.  Do you know why?”  “Why, I asked?”  He replied, “Because Italians are people too.”  Touché.

The laws of behavior are the same in Italy as they are in the U. S. – exactly the same!  The principles that cause people to do their best are the same in India, China, Russia and the rest of the world.  When managers export techniques that they have learned in the U. S. to other cultures without an understanding of the science of behavior, they are bound to have problems as I am sure that this series will exploit.  In the US, when managers implement ‘best practices’ without understanding the laws of behavior, we get funny shows like The Office and just as likely, Outsourced. Such shows are made very funny because the scenes show that the boss doesn’t have a clue as to why employees do or don’t act the way the manager intends. Equally important to managing employees globally is to successfully identify the right reinforcers. Managers must understand what is reinforcing to each individual in order to get the right behavior going, and keep it going. Given the cultural differences between the US and India, I expect many laughs on this topic as well.

Whether managing locally or globally, follow these tips (validated by the science and applied across the U. S., and in over 30 countries, for the past 35 years) for improving performance:

  1. Discover the positive reinforcers of each individual involved. They are different for every individual, regardless of geographical locale. Dinner with the boss, while reinforcing to many is terrifying to others. Standing before a group to talk about some personal work accomplishment is what many employees strive for while others dread.  Social reinforcement cannot work without a good personal relationship.
  2. Determine the behaviors that add value. Not attitudes or competencies but things you would want to see someone do. Make sure they are directly related to a specific business result.
  3. Graph progress of individuals and/or the group. Post group progress publically; individual progress privately
  4. Reinforce behaviors that contribute to the progress. If you do it right, you can’t do it too much.
  5. Celebrate results. Relive the accomplishment by having employees describe actions that created the result.

When managers know the scientific principles that explain why people do as they do, the setting is no longer strange and mysterious—another culture and thus not relevant to us.  Rather, they can see the humanity common to us all.  They can use these scientific principles to derive techniques that consider and respect the particular culture in which they are applied.  They won’t be as funny as Outsourced, but will certainly be more effective.

Consequences, Culture "Change", Mergers & Acquisitions, Positive Reinforcement

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