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Priorities do not just happen. They come from decisions. And “we don’t have time for developing a safety strategy” is a decision, and one that can be deadly.
Strategy is a framework of choices, trade-offs, and small bets you make to determine how to capture and deliver value. Being strategic in safety means focusing on the things that create the most value and, the things we are focusing on, people see value in.
In safety, I often see organizations aiming programs at problems instead of building a strategy. What is your safety strategy? Do you have a clear vision of success in operational language, or are you just trying to fail less? Are your priorities driven by data or opinions? Is your plan aligned with and supports the business strategy, or conflicts with it? Do you have a balanced scorecard that measures value, not just results and activities? And do leaders see themselves as actors in and feel ownership of the strategy?
Make time for strategy, or you will keep getting surprised by risks, or, worse.
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