I am at the airport heading to North Carolina to celebrate a truly wonderful accomplishment.
Our team who runs operations for a very large utility plant on a government contract crossed the 1,000 day mark for SAFE DAYS.
It amuses me that people think my presence there somehow makes the celebration more meaningful or important... what is meaningful and important is that THEY ARE THERE EVERYDAY... MAKING IT HAPPEN!
It is a feat and a milestone that I can learn so very much from... and I am so very honored to be part of this in a small way, and to be able to be there to help recognize them and their success.
We are actually at 27,120 hours and change... ;-) Somewhere over 1,130 days in a row... or if you are counting, nearly 38 months, or just over 3 years....
but whose counting?
EVERYBODY!
Why is this milestone and lesson so very valuable to me?
1. Put Committed, Intelligent, Reasonable People In Charge, Give Them Space To Create Their Own Reality, And Great Things Happen! I have had literally NOTHING to do with this success, except one thing... finding a putting a great man in charge of the operation. This has been his baby. And, he in turn, has put people in leadership positions, and has fought for the Safety Manager position to be staffed... and the results have been truly awesome.
2. Our Past Need NOT Define Our Future! We bought this company in 2012, and recordable incidents were happening literally almost every month. Candidly, the previous owner was reporting lower accident rates to reduce insurance rates, and when we came on board, most insurances would not even take the account. There was too much risk. Too many people were getting hurt. And, sadly, it wasn't just paper cuts - there were some serious accidents that happened before our watch altering people's lifestyles for a lifetime. But, because we were not a SAFE operation, meant nothing to the new leadership that was put in place. SAFETY became a priority, and with the priority came a really different way of working. The previous leadership blamed the people for not being safe, the new leadership took responsibility for creating an environment of safety. So crazy impressive!
3. I Care About People. I Want To Create A Company That Does Right By People - And Is A Safe Place To Work... AND THAT MEANS NOTHING! The fact that I care about people... I truly do, means NOTHING, accomplishes NOTHING without acting on that concern. You can have the very best intentions all day long and not go more than a month without a recordable incident, not increase sales, not improve a relationship, not progress. Intentions alone accomplish nothing.
The team in North Carolina didn't stand up and say "We Care About People"... They said, "We are going to put in a safety program. We are going to staff a safety manager. We are no longer going to take short cuts to safety. We are going to invest in the right tools to make safe work possible." And then, importantly, THEY DID THAT! They put in processes, created an on-going conversation, and made SAFETY HAPPEN!
Most of us have good intentions. Heck many of us have amazing and wonderful intentions. And, we accomplish so little. ORGANIZATIONS AND BUSINESSES AND HUMAN BEINGS DON'T BENEFIT FROM INTENTIONS... THEY BENEFIT FROM ACTION, and CHANGE REQUIRES SUSTAINABLE ACTIONS WHICH REQUIRE PROCESSES THAT HAVE OWNERSHIP TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE. I know this sounds a little like corporate non-sense, but SCOREBOARD, SCOREBOARD... Check out our scoreboard... The results have been amazing.
New realities happen, not because we have the best of intentions... they happen because someone owns those intentions, creates a group for on-going conversation, and creates processes, and educates, inspires and ensures compliance...
And, what makes it hard? Distractions... ALL THE OTHER STUFF those people could choose to focus on, once the initial discussion is set. It is SO EASY to get distracted by the other goals that pop up. And by dissent. How many people roll their eyes at safety? I know I have, and I am not proud of that. I have always valued it, but not led it, not been an example for it. How many people roll their eyes at discussions on accountability, at putting PROCESSES in place...
"I know what I'm doing - I've done it this way for years..."
"I don't need that system, it doesn't understand my needs."
"I am a people person - I work off relationships."
"All those people care about is process."
"You can't manage me by a spreadsheet."
"I've always done it this way... I know better... that won't work for me."
Have you heard any of those? EVER? Those are the thoughts that keep us where we are, and in the case of the North Carolina facility - it kept people getting hurt...
The success in North Carolina, as you would expect, required the departure of good and dedicated people, who just could not embrace the new processes and values. You just cannot create a new reality with people who are not willing to leave the past behind.
I am beyond proud of what the team has accomplished.
Heck. I'm not just proud. I am humbled by the lesson they have taught me, by their example... and by the AMAZING CARE & RESPECT they have shown each other by embracing the values of a safe work place. Is there any greater way to value each other - than to work to make sure we come home safely to our families.
And, they realize by the "digital nature" of the trophy on the wall, that one slip, one day, one moment where we take a short cut... one wrong play of probability... and the streak will end. And, it will take NOTHING away from the amazing accomplishment they have achieved. The culture is in place. But success and life is that delicate, that important, and that quick to pivot.
We bought this company in 2012, and the transformation has been complete. We had employees that didn't want to be part of the company, clients that didn't want to be served by the company, and it was losing money. Today, it runs with a very modest profit, but most importantly, it delivers on its promise to the clients and the employees... and that is a reality that is a result of the great leadership, management and team that makes it happen every day.
If they only knew that it is not my presence today that makes this meaningful and special... but THEIRS. I will try to convey that to them as best as I can... and, I will never forget the lesson that the experience with this team and its leaders has taught me.
27,120 hours plus... and change is happening...
And, I am so very proud,
grateful,
and so very
humbled.
in harmony,
Nestor