This material is for training purposes only to inform the reader of occupational safety and health best practices and general compliance requirements and is not a substitute for provisions of the OSH Act of 1970 or any governmental regulatory agency.
MODULE 8: TOUGH-CARING LEADERSHIP
Introduction
We can't complete the course without discussing the supervisor's leadership responsibilities. We touched lightly on the subject in Module 5, but it's so important, we need to continue the discussion. Without effective leadership, the supervisor might be able to manage quite well, but the resulting work culture may be counterproductive. I stress two leadership models that have proven most effective in the safety arena:
The tough-caring approach is the a effective safety leadership style. The tough-caring leader is tough because he or she cares about the employee's safety.
In the servant-leader model the leader serves those he or she leads.
In this module, we'll overview these and other important subjects that will help the supervisor improve leadership skills.
What leadership is not
In order to better understand what leadership is, let's first discuss what it is not.
Leadership is not power - Power is the capacity to bring about desired outcomes and prevent those not desired. (Gardner) Power is derived from status, position, money, expertise, charisma, ability to harm, access to media, control of assets, communications skills, physical strength. Leaders always have power, but the powerful are not always leaders. The thug who sticks a gun in your back has “power” but not leadership. Power is self-centered, ethically neutral (can be used for good or bad), amoral.
Source: MSHA
Leadership is not status - Status or position may enhance the opportunity for leadership. Some may have status or position, yet haven't a shred of leadership. It's very important to understand that position is assigned from above...leadership is conferred from below. Leadership is not authority - The boss will naturally have "subordinates," but, if leadership is not present, he or she will not have followers. People will follow...confer leadership... only if the person acts like a leader.
Leadership is not management - Management is the process of controlling systems through planning, organizing, and supervising. Managers organize system inputs - processes, policies, plans, procedures, programs. Managing is an planned activity. Managing is a planned activity. Leadership is more spontaneous than planned. Managers do things right. Leaders do the right things.
The Five Levels of Leadership
The following description of the five levels of leadership are adapted from John Maxwell's Developing the Leader Within You. It's important to understand that we're not correlating the five levels with higher positions within an organization. An employee at any level in the organization may display level five leadership, while the owner of a company may never develop beyond level one leadership. Now, let's take a look at the five levels of leadership. Think about which level best describes your current situation.
Level One - The Boss. The boss may have power, but leadership has not been conferred at this level. Characteristics of the work culture developed by boss include:
Dependent subordinates, but not followers and certainly not self-leaders.
Subordinates do what the boss says because they have to.
Subordinates do what the boss says because he or she occupies a position.
Subordinates work to avoid negative consequences.
The boss's influence does not extend beyond the lines of his or her job description.
The boss is primarily concerned with his or her own success.
The boss uses, and potentially abuses, people to further his or her own ends.
The longer the boss remains at this level, the higher the turnover and lower the morale.
Level Two - The Coach. This is where real leadership begins. The leader is not demanding followership, but is, through action and example, asking for it.
Leadership by conferred at this level. The leader has permission to lead.
The leader commands, not demands.
The leader begins the very important journey away from self-centered attitudes towards selfless action.
Followers do what the leader says because they want to.
Followers begin to work to receive recognition as well as avoid punishment.
The leader begins at this level to work for the success of his or her followers.
Level Three - The Producer. The Level 3 producer "makes, builds, writes, develops, sells" something in a way that impresses others, so they follow that leader. The leader at this level is admired for what he or she has or is able to do for the organization. People are impressed with this person's ability to produce. The Level 3 leader is "self" centered.
People follow the leader because of what he or she does for the organization.
This is where success is sensed by most workers.
People like the leader because of what he or she is doing.
Problems are fixed with very little effort because of momentum.
Level Four - The Provider. The leader achieving this level has learned that helping others be "all they can be" is the key to becoming fully successful. The Level 4 provider "gives, helps, encourages, supports" others so help them succeed. The Level 3 producer doesn't necessarily help others as does the Level 4 leader. The Level 4 leader is "other" centered.
People follow the leader because of what he does for them.
The "Servant-Leader" functions at this level.
The leader's commitment is to developing followers into self-leaders.
Tough-caring leadership is displayed at this level.
The leader has completed the transition from selfish to selfless action.
Do whatever you can to achieve and stay on this level.
It's possible for all of us to achieve this level of leadership.
Level Five - The Champion. This person is bigger than life. When this person enters the room, everyone knows him or her. Some religious, political, social, sports, and business leaders have achieved this level. Some coaches, scout leaders, and other local leaders have, likewise, achieved this level.
Employees follow because of who the leader is and what he or she represents.
This step is reserved for leaders who have spent years growing people and organizations.
The transition, or transformation, from selfish motives to selfless action is complete here.
Few make it to this level: Those who do are bigger than life.
Culture...The way things are around here
The most effective safety culture designs a safety management system that integrates the safety function with operations. To most successfully integrate safety into operations, it's important to consider safety as a core value rather than a priority. Values do not readily change. Priorities tend to change when the "going gets tough." When we're behind in our goals, we tend to take shortcuts in an effort to work more efficiently. The problem is that some of those shortcuts may be unsafe, increasing the probability of an accident. When safety is valued, the message communicated from management to employees is that produce safely, or we don't produce...period. There is no prioritizing.
Safe production or no production!
Corporate culture and personality
Corporate cultures reflect "the way things are around here." One way to picture an organization's culture is to think of it as its "personality." Who has the greatest control over what that personality looks like? The person who is at the top. Consequently, corporate personality over time usually takes on the personality of the head of the organization.
Each department within the organization creates its own subculture controlled primarily by the head of the work group. The same relationship between culture and the personality of the person controlling the culture applies to each department within the organization. Again, the department is likely to reflect the personality...the values of the department head. I'm sure you can see how unique leadership and management styles can result in unique subcultures.
Management + Leadership = Culture
Another way to look at culture is to consider it the sum of management and leadership styles of the leader. Management is an organizational skill, while leadership is a human relations skill. The interaction between the two determines to a great extent, the way things are around here. With this in mind, let's take a look at some of the factors creating barriers to a successful safety culture.
Barriers to achieving and supporting a safety culture
Counterproductive beliefs: “Safety is 99% common sense!”, “It won't happen to me.”
"It's all about money." These and other perceptions send the wrong messages to employees.
Fear, distrust and stress: According to W. Edwards Deming, this barrier must be overcome first! Fear creates struggle between safety and job security. Excellence is rare in fear-driven cultures.
Lack of participation: Do “just enough” to keep your job. Withholding positive reinforcement causes us to think, "Why bother, it doesn't matter how hard I work." Lack of participation is symptomatic of a culture of ineffective consequences.
Poor communication: Effective leadership uses communication to establish and reinforce positive relationships between management and labor.
Lack of accountability: Managers and employees fail to fulfill their assigned responsibility due to a lack of consequences. Accountability is more a function of leadership than management.
Lack of intervention: Supervisors hesitate to intervene when we observe another's unsafe behavior. May be symptomatic of pressures, lack of support from top management.
Safety is prioritized: Safety is #1…until the going gets tough, usually towards the end of the production period.
Lack of leadership: Supervisors and other leaders fail to walk the talk, serve as proper role models. People want leaders - they are disappointed when their "bosses" don't act like leaders..
Lack of clarity: Expectations are unclear or inappropriate. The result is increased anxiety, distress, and decreased focus on work.
“US” vs “Them” mentality: Adversarial relationships between labor and management. Also results from internal competition.
(Adapted from Donald H. Theune, Barriers to Safety Excellence, Light Up Safety in the New Millennium, ASSE, p. 118)
Exercise What's your leadership style?
Here's a fun little exercise that may help in gaining some awareness about your approach to safety leadership and management. Read each statement below. Quickly indicate what you think and how strongly your feeling is about each of the statements below using one of the six responses provided before each statement. Go with your first response. Don't try to "psych" this because no one sees the results except you. ;-)
The average person dislikes work: Will avoid it if possible.
To most workers, work is as natural as play or rest.
Workers do not need close supervision when committed to an objective.
Workers must be directed, controlled, or threatened to perform well.
Workers are usually committed to objectives when rewarded for achievement.
People generally dislike change and lack creative ability.
The average worker is self-centered, not concerned with corporate objectives.
Workers not only accept, but seek responsibility.
The average worker has a relatively high degree of imagination and ingenuity.
Workers generally seek security and economic rewards above all else.
The average worker is capable of self-direction when motivated.
Add up your score from the exercise above
Total scores for questions 1,4,6,7,10,11
Total scores for statements 2,3,5,8,12
What do your scores mean?
The first set of questions on the left, reflect a rather negative attitude about employees that will result in a controlling leadership style. Your attitude about employees is less trusting, therefore they must be controlled. The second set of questions on the right reflects a more positive attitude about employees, your attitude will likely result in more trust. Consequently, your leadership style will tend to be less controlling...more caring. It's important to understand that due to the limited number of statements, this exercise is not statistically valid. Don't get upset if your score it high on the left. If your score is close on both left and right boxes, well, you are guess is as good as mine. ;-)
Take the Review Quiz
MODULE 8: TOUGH-CARING LEADERSHIP
Exercise What's your leadership style?
Here's a fun little exercise that may help in gaining some awareness about your approach to safety leadership and management. Read each statement below. Quickly indicate what you think and how strongly your feeling is about each of the statements below using one of the six responses provided before each statement. Go with your first response. Don't try to "psych" this because no one sees the results except you. ;-)