Leaderships Influence on Safety Culture

FEPA Conference – Orlando, 2012Mark Wiese / NASA KSC

Speaker Background2

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Critical, High Risk, Hazardous

NASA Energy Pipeline

• Processing & Launch• Fueling• Cryogenic Fuel Storage• Complex Lifting

Operations• Integration of Workforce• Multiple Skill Sets• Various Companies• Government

Insight/Oversight

• Maintenance & Sustainment

• Gas & Liquid Transfer• Fuel Storage• Regulation of

Pressure/Temp• Integration of Workforce• Multiple Skill Sets• Various Companies• Government

Insight/Oversight

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Primary Goal – Mission Success

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Safety before Mission Success

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Why? - People & Family

How to best achieve Safety?

•Process Driven is one way…▫ OSHA▫ VPP▫ ISO-9000▫ CMMI▫ Standards▫ Regulations▫ Etc. etc. etc.

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Processes do nothing without

Why Culture?• Project Management is required to achieve our goals?

▫ Cost▫ Schedule▫ Technical

• People & Teams are the true key to a successful project

▫ You can effectively manage your cost, schedule, and technical requirements through your people and the diversity of your team

• Assure Safety remains a primary value of your People

▫ As a Leader you must

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Leadership Drives Culture

•Share the vision, no matter how big or small•Explain the connection of the job to society•Foster communication

• Influence a workforce that openly communicates concerns and discusses solutions

▫Remove fear of “speaking up”▫Establish a process for handling dissent & risk▫Empower Checks & Balances▫Do not limit the Decision Makers

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Branding Influences Behaviors•Drive home the “Brand”, the “Mission”•Explain the “Way we operate” & “Why”•Don’t forget your history… revisit often

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The Power of Brand Recognition•Why does “Branding” your organization

work?

▫Inspires▫Connects the Mind & Heart▫Lasting

•How do well known organizations differentiate their brand to you?

“Just Do It” “Be all you can be” “Breakfast of champions” “Think Different”

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Culture as it applies to teamsCulture: the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and

practices that characterizes an institution or organization (www.merriam-webster.com)

• Strong cultures immediately invoke emotions

• What culture exists in your team today (+/-/neutral)?

• As a leader you can take steps to re-shape a team culture

• As a team member, you can influence a culture

• Safety is a Prime Value▫ Only when it is a part of your Culture▫ Being a force fed process alone will not establish the value▫ Leadership must encourage the behavior by example

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So What?•Cultures will form anyway•Cultures can be negative and

counterproductive

The right culture can cultivate your team to have…

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Empower your team – take Pride

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… leave a Legacy for others to follow