Category: Uncategorized
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When Dad’s “Nifty Sleeping Bag” Taught Me About Safety Culture.
When I was a little kid, my dad worked as a pipeline superintendent. He had been away from home for months on a project, and the day he finally returned, he crashed hard from pure exhaustion. While he slept, my sister and I decided to go explore his truck. We had missed him, and there…
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They Would Own You
Years ago, long before I was an instructor or a Construction Safety Officer, I witnessed an exchange that changed how I view professional integrity forever. A Supervisor wanted to get his quad on the company payroll to increase his pay from the project. There was one catch: he needed a quad certification. Unwilling to actually…
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The ‘Safety Dick’ and the Cost of Ego in Leadership
Safety isn’t just about rules and regulations; it’s about culture, leadership, and sometimes, a direct challenge to ego. I learned this firsthand on a recent project with a new crew. After their orientation, I privately reminded the foreman about a piece of documentation he’d overlooked on a previous job. My intent was to be helpful…
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What’s in it for me?
A Leader does not ask, ”What’s in it for me?” or “What can I get away with?” A Leader asks, “What do you need?”, “How can I help?” or says “Here is some constructive feedback.” I have seen too many supervisors play games, but they never seem to get much done.
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Competence: More Than Just Knowing, It’s Doing.
Many believe competence is about what you know. I argue it’s defined by what you’re empowered to do. You know the right thing to do. But will you actually do it? Do you have the authority to do it? This is the true test of competence. Education, training, and experience form the foundation of competence. However, the critical piece…