I am delighted to announce that I no longer do Safety Differently.

Everyone is doing that now.

I am doing Safety Differently, Differently™.

This represents a significant advance in my practice, particularly my pricing.

My previous programme challenged traditional thinking. My new programme challenges the people who challenged traditional thinking.

We are now two challenges removed from doing anything.

First, change the vocabulary

The secret to transformation is ensuring nobody recognises what you are still doing.

Inspections become discovery walks.

Interviews become learning conversations.

Instructions become invitations, although declining remains a disciplinary matter.

We no longer identify non-compliant workers. We discover colleagues whose learning journey requires immediate correction.

Sadie Tater has embraced the change. She now begins every warning with, “I’m curious.”

The workforce says she is just as frightening, but less predictable.

That is innovation.

Replace your old slogans with new principles

I used to believe slogans could transform safety.

I now understand that transformation requires principles.

The difference is that principles come in a more expensive workshop folder.

Our central principle is “People Are the Solution”.

A worker suggested that, as part of the solution, he should be involved in deciding how the job was organised.

I explained that management had already determined the implementation plan.

We value his expertise. We simply need it to support the decision.

Listen differently

My new approach emphasises listening, learning, helping and caring.

Previously, I interrupted workers to explain the answer.

Now I let them finish before explaining the answer.

Sometimes I write their observations on sticky notes. This demonstrates that their experiences matter enough to occupy temporary adhesive stationery.

Last week, the crew described inadequate staffing, conflicting instructions and unreliable equipment.

We grouped these into themes.

Then we photographed the wall.

Management was delighted with the engagement.

The crew asked what would happen next.

I explained that we must avoid rushing to solutions.

We have been avoiding that for several years, so the organisation is well prepared.

A new philosophy, using the existing template

Someone asked what philosophy underpins my methods.

I said, “Practicality.”

They asked what that meant.

“It means using the tools we already have.”

Apparently, questioning the assumptions behind those tools might lead to a more substantial change.

I find this risky.

Our risk matrix is embedded in the software. Changing our understanding of risk would require a support ticket.

Instead, we have rounded the corners of the matrix.

It is now more human-centred.

Welcome different perspectives

Doing things differently requires critical thinking and questioning.

I therefore encourage everyone to challenge the old approach.

Challenging my new approach is premature.

A psychologist suggested that we consider relationships, power and how people experience our interventions.

An anthropologist offered to help us understand the workplace beyond our survey.

This sounded dangerously like transdisciplinary thinking.

I thanked them both and invited another safety consultant.

We immediately understood each other.

Measure the transformation

Our programme has already delivered impressive results.

We have held twelve workshops, trained eight champions and replaced every occurrence of “Old View” in the presentation with “Legacy Thinking”.

A supervisor asked whether the work itself had improved.

I explained that cultural change takes time.

He asked why the invoice did not.

I reminded him that commercial processes are considerably more mature than cultural ones.

Let go—selectively

I have been reading about letting go of familiar approaches.

It is challenging.

Some people are genuinely changing how they listen, share decisions and respond to problems. Workers can point to things that have improved.

Unfortunately, this creates expectations for the rest of us.

Yesterday, an apprentice asked what made my new programme different.

I showed him the new name.

He asked what made it differently different.

I showed him the revised logo.

Then he asked whether the crew would finally get the lifting equipment they had requested.

For a moment, I understood. A different experience of work might matter more than another explanation of difference.

I thanked him for the insight.

It is now the opening slide of my next programme:

Beyond Differently: Doing Something Eventually.