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INTRODUCING THE ENERGIZED APPROACH®


In this session, Michael will introduce you to the philosophy and principles behind The Energized Approach. Michael has been using the Energized Approach with some of the largest companies in the country. This section will briefly introduce you to the 10 essential energy sources, the rationale behind The Energized Approach and how this approach can help you in your safety efforts.


Highlights:

  • The largest influence for the success of your program is the energy that is needed to drive positive change.
  • The energy for success needs to come from the company, the people implementing the change and from the participants.
  • Perform an energy audit to evaluate the company’s energy level prior to the start of any new program or initiative.
  • Conduct Energizing Strategy Sessions to identify “action items” that will increase the energy for your program.
  • The 10 Essential Energy Sources include Commitment, Communication, Consistency, Creativity, Accountability, Inclusion, Flexibility, Recognition, Respect and Fun.

Action Items:

  • The best first step when using the Energized Approach is to become familiar with each of the 10 Essential Energy Sources and how they impact our environment and our lives. As you move through the week, if a particular situation that is going great and the energy is high, stop for a second and try to identify which of the energy sources is driving this.
  • The same applies for situations that are not going well and in which the energy is low. The more you practice these types of observations, the easier it becomes to identify the role of the Energy Sources in a variety of work situations.

ENERGY SOURCE #1: COMMITMENT


In this session, Michael will introduce you to the philosophy and principles behind The Energized Approach. Michael has been using the Energized Approach with some of the largest companies in the country. This section will briefly introduce you to the 10 essential energy sources, the rationale behind The Energized Approach and how this approach can help you in your safety efforts.


Highlights:

  • Commitment is the first and most important Energy Source in the Energized Approach.
  • It’s normal for employees to question whether another new program will be there for the long haul. Employees know what commitment looks like. What can the company do to insure that employees don’t only hear the word commitment, they see the actions of commitment?
  • When employees see that a company is truly committed to the long term success of a program they are more willing to contribute their energy.
  • Don’t implement new programs or initiatives in a way that compete with productivity or quality. When safety competes with these programs safety loses. Implement safety programs in a way that allows them to become “the normal course of business”.

Action Items:

  • Identify existing programs that your company is really committed to such as productivity or quality and make a list of all the things that are done in these programs that demonstrate this commitment. This could be a sophisticated communication system, daily activities that support this program or incentive or recognition programs that drive this program.
  • Go through this same exercise with your safety programs. List all the things the company does as part of the safety program to demonstrate that it is important.
  • Compare the list you came up with for the safety program next to the list of things you came up with for productivity or quality and see how they match up. Often you will find that there are numerous objective activities that take place to drive productivity and quality.
  • There are systems set up to get everyone on board, there are systems in place to keep everyone on board, and there are systems set up to hold people accountable when they aren’t on board, or recognize their efforts when they are. In the world of safety you often find that these same kinds of systems do not exist and this may give you an indication of why employees may question the company’s commitment to safety and provide you with strategies to change this.
  • Before you introduce a new program, imagine that you are an employee and this program is getting ready to be introduced to you. In your mind, what would you need to see in order to believe that the company is committed to this program? In short….what does commitment look like to you and what would you need to see to believe that the company is truly committed?

ENERGY SOURCE #2: COMMUNICATION


In this session Michael lays out the dramatic impact communication can have on the success of your programs. We identify the differences between positive and negative communication, and offer strategies for making positive communication a regular part of your safety efforts.


Highlights:

  • Positive communication helps to secure positive behavior. Negative communication creates an environment where people don’t want to get caught. With positive communication people appreciate getting caught.
  • Keep employees in the communication loop prior to, during and following changes in the workplace and they will respond more positively to this change.
  • Catch employees doing things right and recognize them with positive statements rather than always trying to catch them doing things wrong and delivering negative statements. This shift in approach adds energy to your programs and your work environment.

Action Items:

  • Look at how your organization communicates information in regard to things like productivity and quality and see if some of these same communication strategies can be utilized in the safety program.
  • Before you introduce a new program, imagine that you are an employee and this program is getting ready to be introduced to you. In your mind, what would you need to hear in order to believe that the company is committed to communicating this program on an ongoing basis? In short….what does good communication look like to you?
  • Ongoing communication is an essential ingredient for keeping your programs and initiatives Energized. Simple things like a communication board that keeps employees updated on safety events or making updates on the safety efforts a normal part of a morning shift meeting go a long way towards keeping employees engaged in the process.

ENERGY SOURCE #3: CONSISTENCY


We all know that “Safety’s Number One” looks good on a poster….but what does it look like when it is put into practice in the workplace? In this session Michael demonstrates the difference between the statement, "Safety is #1" and the reality of the work environment. It is all about "walking the walk", not just talking the talk, and the power in consistency.


Highlights:

  • Provide clear and consistent messages. If the company says that "Safety is #1", what things in the environment support this statement?
  • To be truly effective, safety needs to be more than a program; it must be the normal way of doing business. Think of it as “Safe Production”, “Safe Quality” and “Safe Customer Service”.
  • “Safety Is” means that safety encompasses everything the company does. It is a consistent series of activities that do not compete with productivity, quality or customer service.

Action Items:

  • Look at all the safety messages your company delivers, whether it be in videos, on posters, in safety talks or over the loudspeaker.
  • Go out into the work environment and find all the things that are consistent with these messages. In other words, if there are posters up that say safety is number one…go find the examples of this. If you have conducted lifting training, go out into the environment and find all the things that support safe lifting. This could be assistive devices, ergonomic fixes or people being reminded about good technique. The goal is to find discrepancies between the messages delivered and the reality of the work world and then address these inconsistencies.
  • Before you introduce a new program, imagine that you are an employee and this program is getting ready to be introduced to you. In your mind, what would you need to see in order to believe that what the company says is what the company is going to do? In short….what does consistency look like to you?

ENERGY SOURCE #4 - Part 1 of 2: ACCOUNTABILITY


Who is responsible for the success of your organization's safety programs? In this session, Michael explores the role of accountability and why it is so essential to make it an integral part of your safety programs.


Highlights:

  • Everyone in an organization is responsible for the success of a safety program. The issue is making sure that there are clear responsibilities, consequences and recognition systems set up to support the program.
  • Don’t establish responsibilities simply to make it easier to assign blame. Establish responsibilities so the company knows where to look when something isn’t going according to plan.
  • Identify everyone’s role in a program up front. This keeps the finger pointing to a minimum when something doesn’t go right.

Action Items:

  • Look at how your company sets up accountability systems for things like production or quality or productivity. There are probably very clear responsibilities for all involved.
  • Now look at your safety program and see if the accountabilities and consequences are just as clear. Also…are the accountabilities and consequences split up equitably between management, supervisors and employees? Safety is a team effort and it is hard to know where the process it is breaking down if participants’ roles are not well defined.
  • Before you introduce a new program, imagine that you are an employee and this program is getting ready to be introduced to you. In your mind, what would you need to see in order to know who is accountable for what and how will they be held accountable? In short….what does accountability look like to you?

ENERGY SOURCE #4 - Part 2 of 2: ACCOUNTABILITY


If you want people to be accountable in a program, they need to be vested in its success. In this session Michael continues his discussion of accountability and its vital role in your programs' success.

Highlights:

  • Successful programs are made up of accountable, vested participants.
  • The more accountability a person feels toward a program, the more likely they are to invest their time, energy and ideas.
  • People take on more accountability when they feel that they have value and that their actions will have an impact on the success of the process.

Action Items:

  • Look at how your company sets up accountability systems for things like production or quality or productivity. There are probably very clear responsibilities for all involved.
  • Now look at your safety program and see if the accountabilities and consequences are just as clear. Also…are the accountabilities and consequences split up equitably between management, supervisors and employees? Safety is a team effort and it is hard to know where the process it is breaking down if participants’ roles are not well defined.
  • Before you introduce a new program, imagine that you are an employee and this program is getting ready to be introduced to you. In your mind, what would you need to see in order to know who is accountable for what and how will they be held accountable? In short….what does accountability look like to you?

ENERGY SOURCE #5: INCLUSION


Each of us likes to put our own spin on things, particularly those things that directly impact our lives. When your organization is trying to influence the behavior of others, the odds for success go up dramatically when the participants have some ownership of the program. In this session Michael takes a close look at the role inclusion plays in the success of your safety programs.


Highlights:

  • Everyone likes to contribute their ideas to a process that will impact them. This increases ownership and improves the odds for success.
  • Most training is mandatory. Inviting employee ideas prior to implementing training can reduce resistance and maximize the impact.
  • Let participants know that the program will be most effective with their direct involvement. Increasing their ownership reduces resistance and taps into their energy.

Action Items:

  • Consider pulling together a representative sample of employees. Tell them that reason you’ve brought them together is that the company wants to beef up the safety program and make it more effective and their involvement and the involvement of the employees will be a critical ingredient. Tap into this groups’ ideas and be ready to act on them.
  • Before you introduce a new program, imagine that you are an employee and this program is about to be introduced to you. In your mind, what would you need to see in order to feel like you were able to contribute to this process? In short….what does inclusion look like to you?

ENERGY SOURCE #6 - Part 1 of 2: RECOGNITION


It is a fact of human nature that most of us appreciate a periodic pat on the back for a job well done. Not everyone needs or wants a party in their honor or to walk across the stage with a trophy in their hand, but we do like to know that someone noticed our effort and has taken the time to say "thanks". In this session, Michael discusses the difference between incentive and recognition programs and the critical elements that make them more effective.


Highlights:

  • Everyone loves to be appreciated for a job well done.
  • To be most effective, recognition needs to be directed at the individual you want to recognize and be specific to the behavior you wish to recognize.
  • Incentive programs say, “Please do this.”, while recognition programs say, “Thank you for what you’ve done”.
  • Whether you offer incentives or recognition, it’s about generating safe behaviors, not just better numbers. People can put in a week of work without injury by making good decisions or just being lucky. Make sure you are identifying and recognizing the behaviors and not celebrating luck.

Action Items:

  • Go out and "catch" someone doing something right. For many people this can be a bit uncomfortable because it's not something we are used to doing. I don’t recommend that you be over the top or over zealous in your actions. Just find someone who is demonstrating a safe work behavior and thank them. This doesn’t mean you don’t talk to them about something else…just include a short statement that thanks them for their effort. Over time this will become significantly easier and more natural. and a normal part of your routine.
  • Before you introduce a new program, imagine that you are an employee and this program is about to be introduced to you. In your mind, what would you need to see in order to believe that the company is willing to recognize you for your contributions? In short….what does recognition look like to you? Keep in mind that most of us are not looking for something that costs a lot of money or time; we simply want someone to acknowledge a job well done.

ENERGY SOURCE #6 - Part 2 of 2: RECOGNITION


In this continuation, Michael shares powerful stories that help illustrate the power of recognition programs that had a dramatic and long lasting impact on employee behaviors.


Highlights:

  • Inexpensive, genuine, sincere and heartfelt “thanks” can pack a powerful message.
  • Consistent praise and recognition can go a long way in driving behaviors that keep employees safe in the work place.
  • Recognition, when done well, reminds people that they have value and that their health and safety are about more than just protecting the company’s bottom line.

Action Items:

  • Go out and "catch" someone doing something right. For many people this can be a bit uncomfortable because it's not something we are used to doing. I don’t recommend that you be over the top or over zealous in your actions. Just find someone who is demonstrating a safe work behavior and thank them. This doesn’t mean you don’t talk to them about something else…just include a short statement that thanks them for their effort. Over time this will become significantly easier and more natural. and a normal part of your routine.
  • Before you introduce a new program, imagine that you are an employee and this program is about to be introduced to you. In your mind, what would you need to see in order to believe that the company is willing to recognize you for your contributions? In short….what does recognition look like to you? Keep in mind that most of us are not looking for something that costs a lot of money or time; we simply want someone to acknowledge a job well done.

ENERGY SOURCE #7: RESPECT


When safety is done in a respectful way, it tells an employee that the company is placing an emphasis on safety because of the employee’s value, not simply to comply with a government regulation or save the company money. In this session, Michael illustrates the importance of respect in creating an effective safety program.


Highlights:

  • When safety is implemented in a respectful way, the employees get a better sense of their value.
  • Without respect integrated into the process, employees may perceive that the only reason for a safety program is compliance with a “government regulation” or cutting costs.
  • One way to inject respect into your safety process is by asking questions and getting feedback about employee ideas and thoughts for improving their work environment and then acting on this feedback.

Action Items:

  • The next time you are getting ready to conduct a training session or introduce a new program, ask the participants a simple question: "How can we make this better or more effective for you?" It’s not a big deal, but shifts the emphasis of the introduction away from being about the program or class, towards the people we are trying to influence.
  • When we ask these questions, we get action items that when implemented, tell the employees that they have value and that their opinions are respected. We are not asking the employees whether they want to participate in the safety program; this is mandatory. But we can increase the energy they are willing to put towards the programs success by increasing their sense of value.
  • When a class is more fun or interesting, does it tell the employees that because of their value we worked hard to make the training better? Absolutely. When training is held at a time of day when employees are most alert and ready to learn, does this tell the employees that because of their value, we thought about THEM when choosing the time? Of course. These may seem like small things, but indicate a sense of respect towards employees and will contribute greatly to the success of your efforts.
  • Before you introduce a new program, imagine that you are an employee and this program is getting ready to be introduced to you. In your mind, what would you need to see in order to feel “respected” in the process? In short….what does respect look like to you?

ENERGY SOURCE #8: CREATIVITY


In the area of safety, we need to deliver messages in creative ways. Being creative actually serves two important purposes; first, it increases the odds that the message is going to be heard or seen. Second, it sends a clear signal to employees that this message is important enough that the company is making an effort to insure it is heard. In this session Michael takes a look at how your company can use creativity to strengthen your safety program.


Highlights:

  • Deliver messages in creative ways to get (and hold) the attention of employees.
  • Creativity increases the odds that a message will be seen or heard, and sends a signal to the employees that the company is making an effort to ensure that it is received.
  • Take the boring and routine and spice it up with creative strategies that are memorable and powerful.

Action Items:

  • You can have some fun with this. Go online and type in “creative training techniques”. The biggest thing is to do something different than what people are anticipating. This is what makes people sit up and take notice and helps the information "stick".
  • Talk with employees and ask them what safety events, programs or training sessions they have participated in throughout their careers that stood out and made it more interesting. Remember, you don’t have to suddenly wake up and be more creative, you just have to want your safety program to be more creative. Go out and find it.
  • Before you introduce a new program, imagine that you are an employee and this program is about to be introduced to you. In your mind, what would you need to see in order to believe that the company is willing to think "outside the box" to be creative in its approach? In short....what does creativity look like to you?

ENERGY SOURCE #9: FLEXIBILITY


One of the ways to think about flexibility is as a warranty on your safety programs. Anybody can kick-off a safety program. That’s not the hard part. What is hard is keeping it going and honoring the warranty when things don’t go as planned. Michael will share with you the power of flexibility in a safety program and some stories that illustrate this power.


Highlights:

  • If something can go wrong it will. Does the company have a "Plan B" for the safety program?
  • Companies that are flexible value their safety programs and treat them with the same level of importance as quality and productivity.

Action Items:

  • Head into every situation with the idea that it might not go just as you had intended. This forces us to do a couple of things…it makes us think about what could go wrong before we get started, and it’s possible we may do something before we launch it that addresses the problem up front. It also forces you to create a “Plan B” just in case you need to fix it.
  • One of the best ways to demonstrate flexibility is to go out and talk to people when something new has been introduced to see how it is going. You may get some feedback that will improve the situation and to be truly flexible, the company needs to be ready to act on the good suggestions.
  • Before you introduce a new program, imagine that you are an employee and this program is about to be introduced to you. In your mind, what would you need to see in order to believe that the company is willing to be flexible in its approach to this program or process? In short….what does flexibility look like to you?

ENERGY SOURCE #10: FUN


Fun is not an activity or event; it is “energy”. Safety finds itself in day-to-day competition with productivity, quality and customer service. What is the one thing that safety can have over these other ones? It can be more fun. In this session Michael shows how building fun into your safety process will go a long way towards energizing your efforts.


Highlights:

  • When the 9 other Energy Sources are used consistently; there is room for fun in the process.
  • When it comes to fun, a small investment of energy can lead to a big payoff.
  • What does safety need to do to effectively compete with its big budget competitors like productivity and quality? it has to be more fun!

Action Items:

  • The most important aspect is to ensure that as you implement a program or initiative, the other 10 Energy Sources are also being attended to.
  • Think about situations in your life that you interpreted as “fun” and identify some of the key ingredients. Can any of these ingredients be integrated into different aspects of your safety program?
  • Before you introduce a new program, imagine that you are an employee and this program is about to be introduced to you. In your mind, what would you need to see in order to believe that the company is willing to have some fun with this program? In short....what does fun look like to you?

THE ENERGY AUDIT


Michael introduces the "Energy Audit" and walks through this simple and practical method for evaluating the energy of your organization. A company can have the best programs in the world, but without the energy of management to drive it, supervisors to supervise it and employees to embrace it, a program can be doomed to failure. The Energy Audit helps you identify those areas that need additional attention before a program is launched, or areas that need to be energized in an existing program that isn’t reaching its potential.


Highlights:

  • How to effectively conduct an Energy Audit for your company or organization.

Action Items:

THE ENERGIZING STRATEGY SESSION


In this session, Michael discusses the importance of the "Energizing Strategy Session" as a follow-up to the Energy Audit. An Energizing Strategy Session is nothing more than taking the results of the Audit and identifying a course of action. In this video, Michael provides the rationale for conducting an Energizing Strategy Session and walks through examples.


Highlights:

  • Scores from the Energy Audit will create many action items to be used in the process.
  • Commitment: Set expectations at a reasonable level and then exceed them.
  • Inclusion: Include more employees to participate in putting programs together for greater input and better acceptance.
  • Accountability: Management needs to work with supervisors and employees to set responsibilities for every level of the organization.
  • Creativity: Ask for ideas from employees and recognize those whose ideas are used in the program.

Action Items:

  • It doesn’t make much sense to perform an Energy Audit if you aren’t going to take the information you gathered and develop appropriate action items. The best information for development of action items comes from the justifications for your various scores. If you listed the reasons that you gave an energy source a particular score, there is a good chance that you will find that the things that need your attention stand out.
  • One of the best questions you can ask yourself (or your group) in an Energizing Strategy Session, is, “What would the application of this Energy Source look like? For example, if the Energy Source you are addressing is, “Commitment”, ask yourself, “If the company was really committed to this new program, what would this look like?” What activities would you personally need to see to convince you that the company is really committed? The answers to this type of question will help you develop effective action items for your organization.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF THE ENERGIZED APPROACH®


The Energized Approach is not an event or a specific “thing” that is done to improve safety; rather, it is an ongoing series of small events and interactions that change the way people perceive safety in the workplace. In this segment, we show how safety can become the "normal course of business”.

Highlights:

  • Numerous small changes result in positive energy in the workplace.
  • Regular use of the energy sources is easy to identify in an organization that is functioning well.
  • To be received the best, change needs to be introduced as part of the normal course of events.

Action Items:

  • Sit down with your group and discuss what you would like a day in the life of a safety program to like in your company.
  • We all know that an accident or injury can happen at any time and anywhere, and it only takes a second. Because of this I like to look at this exercise this way..."What does the company want to have happen regularly that will influence safety?" Not only what do they want to schedule yearly or monthly or every week…but can happen daily to make it a safer place to work.
  • Sometimes it can be as simple as making the safe performance of a job the way that a sentence is ended. In other words, if you are going to ask someone to go do something, can you add a statement that addresses the safe performance of this job to the end of the sentence? "Hey, I need you and Bill to go work on that punch press and remember to lock it out and wear your safety glasses." This approach doesn’t take any time and it goes a long way towards making safety an every day occurrence.