Ted Lasso’s coaching style changes. He tries something and it sticks. More often, he tries something and moves on to something else. Moving on is not quitting. It’s letting go.
I picked up @david provan’s ‘blueprint for improving the safety of work.’ He traces 100 years of safety theory. In that time there were 37 safety theories. That’s a new theory every three years! Point being, few theories stand the test of time.
As HSSE leaders, we must let go of ideas that no longer work, aren’t getting traction or have grown stale.
Safety efforts should be reviewed and measured. If the metrics aren’t moving in the right direction, the efforts need to be resuscitated or ended. When I began my career, behavioral observations were all the rage. Observations were made and documented. Cards were counted and metrics developed. At some point, the organization became fatigued. Energy waned. It was time to end the program and move onto something else. Was this effort a failure? No. It built skills, delivered a result and built capability. But, it was time to let go.
Another type of letting go is when an idea simply does not gain traction. In your heart, you believe in something, yet the organization resists it. You’ve tried multiple times, multiple ways. At some point, you need to find a different way to approach the issue. As @Ian Chapin says “Quitting is giving up and not trying again after the first or tenth failure. Letting go is dropping it for now and coming back to it later.” Find a different approach. Engage others and solicit their ideas. Your mission is to reduce risk, not to have the world’s greatest solution.
Some considerations:
- Embrace what Greek philosopher Heraclitus said ‘nothing endures but change.’
- Plan to sunset programs with clear metrics and decision points.
- Know when to let go and when to take another run at it.
- Remember, your job is to reduce risk, not sell an idea.
- Changing tactics is not quitting.
- Try my rule of three; three times, three different ways. If that doesn’t work, put the idea on the shelf and make a run at it another day.
It’s time to take my own advice (and Ted’s!). I’ve been writing this blog for six months now. Each post achieved an average of 1800 unique clicks. It’s been fun to write and I’ve enjoyed your “likes” and comments. Alas, it’s time to let go of the Lasso series. I hope you enjoyed it and thank you for coming along on this journey. Don’t worry, I’ll keep writing!
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