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Mindful HSELeadership

Mark Cowan, AdvisianSeptember 2016

Leadership is one of the key drivers of a culture within an organisation. Over time, what leaders do will change – who they are will essentially remain constant. This is therefore a far bigger contributor to the development of a safety culture.

What is a Mindful Leader? A mindful leader embodies leadership presence by cultivating focus, clarity, creativity and compassion in the service of others. Leadership presence is a tangible quality. It requires full and complete non-judgmental attention in the present moment. Those around a mindful leader see and feel that presence.

Source: https://instituteformindfulleadership.org/definitions/

Elements of a mindful organisationMindful organisations maintain a collective mindfulness of the dangers associated with their operations. They organise themselves so they’re in a better position to notice the unexpected and stop it progressing to a point where control is lost.A mindful organisation must exhibit a range of key processes, including:• A preoccupation with failure• A reluctance to oversimplify data

interpretation• A sensitivity to the maintenance of

situational awareness and a commitment to organisational resilience

Collectively Mindful OrganisationsOrganisations that are collectively mindful are very successful in avoiding disaster, but ironically they:• Are wary of success• Worry about the fact that success

may breed complacency, so worry about the possibility of it setting in

• Are very alert to any kind of warnings of danger - warnings that things might be going wrong

• Use audits as an opportunity to worry about failure rather than as an opportunity to celebrate success, which is the way so many corporate audits function

Safety Culture, Mindfulness and Safe Behavior; Converging Ideas, Andrew Hopkins, December 2002

Failure to identify warning signsWarning signs are often intermittent – as humans we are far less inclined to take intermittent signs seriously.

Intermittent warning signs are particularly dangerous when combined with a complacent organisational culture - intermittent, out of sight, out of mind.

The Gretley Coal Mine Disaster1 and Esso Longford Gas Explosion2 are two striking examples where warning signs were ignored as a consequence of the organisations not operating mindfully.

“Gretley Mine Disaster Judgement” – Minesafe

Lessons from Longford: The Esso Gas Plant Explosion” in CCH Australia Limited

Culture of Denial - Beliefs

Prior to any major accident there are always warning signs which could have been responded to and averted the accident - but often they’re not, they’re ignored.

These can be categorised into 4 beliefs:

1. It can’t happen here2. Intermittent signs3. Normalise evidence4. Onus of proof

It can’t happen

here

Intermittent signs

Normalise evidence

Onus of proof

01

0203

04

Culture of Denial – Group Think

Loss of independent thinking

Individuals avoid raising controversial issues or

alternative solutions, and there is loss of individual

creativity, uniqueness and independent thinking.

Social pressureEnormous social pressure

is brought to bear on anyone whose views

diverge from the majority or the dominant person in

the group.

Doubters silencedIf the dominant person or people in the group are

propounding a certain way of interpreting the warning signs, then the doubters

are absolutely silenced by the process of Group Think.

The Janis ‘GROUP THINK Model’ developed by Irving Lester Janis in 1972.

Q. How do you know if you have Group Think operating in your organisation?

A. Janis’ 8 Symptoms

Illusion of invulnerabilityCreates excessive optimism that encourages taking extreme risks

1.

Belief in inherent moralityMembers believe in the rightness of their cause and therefore ignore the ethical or moral consequences of their decisions

2.

Collective rationalisationMembers discount warning signs and do not reconsider their assumptions

3.

Stereotyped views of ‘out’ groupsNegative views of ‘opposing groups’ make effective responses to conflict seem unnecessary

4.

Dissenters marginalisedMembers are under pressure not to express arguments against any of the group’s views

5.

Self censorshipDoubts and deviations from the perceived group consensus are not expressed

6.

Illusion of unanimityThe majority’s view and judgements are assumed to be unanimous

7.

Self-appointed ‘mind-guards’Members protect the group and the leader from information that is problematic or contradictory to the group’s cohesiveness, view and/or decisions

8.

Leadership is one of the key drivers of a culture within an organisation.

Key attributes of a safety leader include understanding the basis of a high performance organisation through the adoption of HSE mindfulness.

DISCLAIMERThis presentation has been prepared by a representative of Advisian.The presentation contains the professional and personal opinions of the presenter, which are given in good faith. As such, opinions presented herein may not always necessarily reflect the position of Advisian as a whole, its officers or executive.Any forward-looking statements included in this presentation will involve subjective judgment and analysis and are subject to uncertainties, risks and contingencies—many of which are outside the control of, and may be unknown to, Advisian. Advisian and all associated entities and representatives make no representation or warranty as to the accuracy, reliability or completeness of information in this document and do not take responsibility for updating any information or correcting any error or omission that may become apparent after this document has been issued.To the extent permitted by law, Advisian and its officers, employees, related bodies and agents disclaim all liability—direct, indirect or consequential (and whether or not arising out of the negligence, default or lack of care of Advisian and/or any of its agents)—for any loss or damage suffered by a recipient or other persons arising out of, or in connection with, any use or reliance on this presentation or information.

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