“Be the leader that steps up and narrows the odds of something happening.”
When we talk about leadership, we often focus on performance, customer service, and developing people. But there is one responsibility that has to come before all of those: keeping people safe.
You don’t need a leadership title to take responsibility for safety.
I think about parents. From the moment children start crawling, parents are constantly looking for what could go wrong. We lock cabinets, teach them to wear seatbelts, and warn them about danger. We do it because we care about them. Leaders should bring that same sense of responsibility to the people in their organizations.
At Disney, safety was our number one priority. We trained for situations we hoped would never happen. When September 11 happened, our teams knew what to do because we had practiced for emergencies. We couldn’t predict the crisis, but we could prepare people to respond.
That same principle applies to every organization.
Training matters. Procedures matter. Awareness matters. If you haven’t experienced a serious safety issue yet, that doesn’t mean you won’t. Leaders need to continually ask what could happen and whether their teams are prepared to respond.
The frontline plays an especially important role. They are often the first people to notice something that could become dangerous. But identifying a risk only helps if employees feel comfortable speaking up.
That means safety is also connected to culture.
People need to know they can raise a concern without being dismissed or getting in trouble. Leaders have to reinforce that message consistently and prove through their actions that they mean it. When an employee brings you a concern and sees you address it, other people notice.
Safety is not somebody else’s responsibility. If you see something that could hurt an employee or customer, speak up. You may prevent an accident, protect your organization, or even save a life.
You don’t need authority to lead in that moment.
You just need the courage to act.
Resources
Travel Guidance
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Episode Chapters
[00:02:36] Taking a Leadership Position on Safety
[00:04:53] Preparing Before a Crisis Happens
[00:06:48] Why Safety Must Be the Top Priority
[00:10:02] The Organizational Cost of Preventable Accidents
[00:12:14] Creating a Culture Where Employees Speak Up