The problem with much of what passes for safety culture development these days is the “mandate” feel it carries with it. People are essentially coerced into whatever change is being made. Certainly there has to be a mandate if change is going to happen, and that mandate has to be driven by leadership. But the way it is driven matters. If my approach to safety culture development is primarily coercive, I may very well get people to comply, but that’s not the same as getting them on board. It can result in a fear-based compliance, and that’s never a good foundation for building a sustainable safety culture.
