By Barry Spud, Founder of HOP 2, Certified in My Own Methodology

When I first discovered HOP, I saw enormous potential.

Five principles. Countless presentations. Almost unlimited polo shirts.

But eventually, every thought leader faces the same difficult question:

“What can I sell to people who already bought the last thing?”

My colleague Sadie Tater suggested improving workplace conditions.

I explained that I was looking for something we could launch by Friday.

And so HOP Differently™ was born.

Some call it HOP 2. Others call it a collection of typing errors.

We welcome different perspectives, provided they purchase the workbook.

1. Blame fixes zero

My first innovation replaces “Blame fixes nothing” with “Blame fixes zero.”

This brings together two of safety’s most powerful commercial traditions: announcing that blame is unhelpful and declaring absolute devotion to zero.

Sadie immediately saw the possibilities.

“Does it mean blame achieves nothing, or that blame repairs our zero programme?”

“Yes,” I replied.

“But those are different meanings.”

“Exactly. Two workshops.”

Our implementation process is straightforward. When something goes wrong, we announce that blame fixes zero. We then identify who failed to demonstrate sufficient commitment to our blame-free culture.

Kevin asked whether discussing responsibility required more care than repeating a slogan.

I referred him to our blame discussion.

Then I referred his attitude to management.

There is no contradiction. We weren’t blaming him.

We were documenting his contribution.

2. Con Text Matters

Regular readers will remember my breakthrough discovery that “context” was actually “con text”.

HOP Differently takes this insight further.

Con Text Matters.

The wording of your promise is critical. “We will have some conversations” sounds ordinary.

“We will facilitate a transformational operational learning journey” sounds like something requiring travel expenses.

Sadie has developed a three-stage Con Text assessment:

Does it sound profound?

Can anyone explain it?

Will they feel embarrassed admitting they cannot?

If the answers are yes, no and yes, we have a keynote.

Rob Long’s discussion of risk, context and behaviour introduces awkward matters such as beliefs and the ways people make sense of their world.

I admire the ambition.

Unfortunately, understanding someone’s world takes longer than changing the background colour of a slide.

3. People are Mistakes

The old wording, “People make mistakes,” never went far enough for Sadie.

“It suggests the person might occasionally do something useful,” she complained.

Our revised principle eliminates that uncertainty:

People are Mistakes.

Sadie describes this as a major advance in human factors.

Previously, she had to wait for someone to do something wrong before opening a corrective action.

Now she can begin at recruitment.

Every new employee receives a welcome pack, an identification number and a preliminary nonconformance.

“This feels dehumanising,” Kevin said.

“Quite the opposite,” Sadie replied. “We’ve made you central to the entire hazard register.”

I asked her whether this conflicted with our promise to value people.

“Of course we value them. Without people, who would need our training?”

It was a powerful reminder that every human being has potential.

Particularly as a recurring enrolment.

4. Leaning in Vital

Our fourth principle began when I accidentally deleted several letters from “Learning is vital.”

The printer produced five thousand posters saying:

Leaning in Vital.

Sadie suggested a recall.

I suggested an embodied leadership methodology.

We now teach that meaningful change begins with a fifteen-degree forward lean.

Learning may require curiosity, uncertainty and reconsidering what you believe. Leaning requires a chair.

The results have been extraordinary.

At our pilot workshop, every participant leaned forward when Sadie reduced the font size.

We recorded 100 per cent engagement.

Kevin claimed he was simply trying to read the screen.

“That’s your interpretation,” I explained. “Our dashboard says transformation.”

Someone mentioned sloganeering and indoctrination.

I leaned away.

Advanced practitioners know when to disengage.

5. Leadership Respit Matters

This principle recognises the exhausting burden placed on senior leaders when workers keep bringing them problems.

Leadership Respit Matters.

Sadie noticed that “respit” appeared to be missing an “e.”

“It’s proprietary,” I explained.

Our leadership respit programme gives executives protected time away from the consequences of their decisions.

When workers raise concerns about excessive workloads, leaders attend a retreat.

When trust declines, leaders receive coaching at a coastal resort.

When employees request additional staffing, leaders practise mindful breathing beside an infinity pool.

Kevin asked when workers would receive some respite.

“Once leadership has finished modelling it.”

Our executive retreat includes a session called Responding Matters.

Attendance is optional.

Responses can be delegated.

6. Renewal Is Essential

Five principles would merely put us alongside the competition.

Six makes us thought leaders.

Our additional principle is therefore:

Renewal Is Essential.

Not renewal of thinking. Renewal of certification.

Your understanding of human and organisational performance expires twelve months after payment.

Fortunately, it can be restored through a refresher module containing the same information in a different order.

Sadie calls this sustained capability.

Our accountant calls it predictable income.

I drew inspiration from the endless possibilities of safety marketing. Why let a customer’s growing competence interfere with a lasting professional relationship?

Putting HOP Differently to work

Our first implementation took place beside a machine Kevin had repeatedly reported as needing repair.

I unveiled the six principles.

Sadie distributed commitment cards.

We asked Kevin how the new approach made him feel.

“Will you fix the machine?”

I explained that blame fixes zero.

“I’m not blaming anyone. I’m asking for a repair.”

Sadie reminded him that Con Text Matters.

“The context is that it’s still broken.”

I demonstrated leaning.

He remained unmoved.

Eventually, Sadie suggested leadership respit.

The manager left early.

We recorded the session as a success: six principles communicated, two leaders engaged, one worker displaying resistance to change.

As we packed away the banners, Kevin asked what HOP Differently actually did differently.

I showed him the invoice.

He studied it for a moment.

“Twice the price?”

“Now you’re learning,” I said.

“Sorry. Leaning.”