Do you ever feel like you always have to be the bad guy?
Nobody likes being told what to do. And people really hate to be told that they’re doing something the wrong way. But if you’re the person in charge of safety, sometimes that’s exactly what you have to do.
So, on the days when you notice someone working around uncontrolled hazards (or worse, creating them), consider how to deliver the “work safely” message so 1) it’s clear and can be easily understood, and 2) it builds trust between you and your team, instead of alienating you from them.
Here are some ideas to keep in mind, so you can make a reasonable correction without coming across as the bad guy:
- Be positive. People can understand positive statements more easily than negative ones. So instead of saying “That’s not the way to handle that tool” say “Here’s a better way to handle that tool.”
- Be respectful, not patronizing. You may have heard about the “sandwich” system for delivering bad news. You start with a complement, then deliver the bad news, and finish with a compliment. The problem with this method, is that it’s so common that people now recognize the pattern and focus on the bad news. Further, you’ve made it awkward to talk about the bad news because your compliments feel insincere.
- Be honest and straightforward. You want your people to work safely, to get the job done efficiently and well, and to really hear what you’re saying about safety. They’re more likely to do all three when you’re positive, respectful, and straightforward.
And if you’re ever reluctant to make a minor correction when one of your people is ignoring safe work practices, just remember, it’s far better to be the bad guy than it is to be the fall guy—the person who has to call someone’s wife to tell her she’s a widow.