Tool Box Talk: Safety Values

Safety Values!!

Values are a major motivating force for us because they categorize how we attach meaning, worth and importance to things.

When our values are matched, we feel complete and satisfied. If values are not met, there is a sense of dissatisfaction, unease or incongruity.

This is something to bear in mind during persuasion and negotiation.

Examples of values are health, pleasure, recognition, safety, integrity, achievement and honesty. These are all quite subjective terms, which mean that they may mean different things to different people. Or even different things to the same person at different times.

How are they related?

So how are personal values and decision making related?

Our personal values very much determine our goals and outcomes in life.

The goals we choose are the outer expression of our personal values.

Decision making is similarly based upon our core values. For a start, even choosing our goals is decision making!

Our values will determine how they perceive any particular situation. We who value ‘safety’ will approach a  situation checking for safety versus danger.

Others who value ‘excitement’ will have a different perspective on the same situation and will be searching for different kinds of experiences.

How can we use them?

So how can we benefit from this interaction between personal values and decision making?

Well firstly, if we want to know what our personal values are, we only need to think about some of the decisions we have made.

What was important to us at the time? What other factors did we consider? Of all these factors, which was most important? Least important?

Sometimes it’s easier for other people to point out to us what they think our values are. It may be helpful to ask others about our personal values and decision making.

Why? Because when we know what our personal values are, our decision making becomes infinitely easier.

Shared Values: are those values effectively embodied in an organizational philosophy; are congruent with observed behavior.

We, as individuals, are Desire-Driven, by nature

• In the absence of the desire, no action is performed
• Building our desire for safety individually leads to a common (organizational) desire for safety.
• The more individuals of an organization (in all levels) build a desire for safety, the more safety becomes an effective shared value of that organization, and the more safety culture is enhanced.

A Shared Organizational Vision

• Is well understood and accepted by the organization personnel.
• Allows individuals to know what their contribution is and how to achieve it.
• Is ownership builder and provides a feeling of belonging.

Attitude: represents an individual difference which affects personal behavior.

Working attitude: depends on motivation and organizational commitment.

Organizational commitment: is a personal dedication characterized by the belief and acceptance of the vision and values of the organization.

Organizational Commitment induces construction of Shared Vision and Shared Values in an environment where people excel and learn not because they are told to do so, but because they desire to do so.

Safety culture shall not be seen as a part of the organizational culture, but rather as that organizational culture which has safety as a perceived, effectively shared and prevailing value.

And a bonus quote from Thomas Jefferson:

“On matters of style, swim with the current, on matters of principle, stand like a rock.”

Thanks for the share, TO!