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Leading a Safety Culture. Dr. Paul Melendez Assistant Dean, Executive Education Founder, Center for Leadership Ethics Professor of Practice Department of Management and Organizations. Overview. Firefighting History Quiz Culture: -Defined -Characteristics -Impact on Management
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Leading a Safety Culture Dr. Paul Melendez Assistant Dean, Executive Education Founder, Center for Leadership Ethics Professor of Practice Department of Management and Organizations
Overview • Firefighting History Quiz • Culture: -Defined -Characteristics -Impact on Management -Conflict -Function -Iceberg • Leading a Safety Culture • Going Forward…
Culture Defined …comes from Latin “cultura” which is related to cult or worship. …the term refers to the result of human interaction. …acquired knowledge that people use to interpret experience and generate social behavior. This knowledge forms values, creates attitudes, and influences behaviors. …the way we do things here!
Characteristics of Culture • Learned • Shared • Transgenerational • Symbolic • Patterned • Adaptive
Cultural Impact on Management • Decision-Making • Rewards • Procedures • Organizational Loyalty • Cooperation v. Competition • Stability v. Innovation
The Culture Iceberg Artifacts Values Assumptions
Artifacts • Behavioral Symbols • Physical Symbols • Verbal Symbols
Values Shared principles Enduring beliefs Reflect desirability
Assumptions Often unconscious Guides our perceptions Determines what & why
Leading a Safety Culture …defined as the ability of individuals or organizations to deal effectively with risks so as to avoid loss and yet still achieve organizational goals. …a fire department with a strong safety culture should be able to get the fire out without any firefighter injuries or deaths. …changing the safety culture of a fire department can challenge organizational identify which could lead to resistance, but through leadership change is possible.
Leading a Safety Culture Behaviors Values Assumptions
Leading a Safety Culture Organizational Identity Culture Culture Image
Leading a Safety Culture Forms of Resistance: • Denial • Rationalization • Attributional Egoism • Self Aggrandizement • Melioration Bias • Rare-event Bias
Going Forward… Factors for change: I. Change in culture II. Change from the top down II. Change must be embraced IV. Change takes time