Creating Accountability Through the Power of Conversation Jamey Wheeler, CSP

Objectives Understand some behavioral concepts Understand barriers to communication Overcoming barriers to enhance accountability Incorporating conversation into the system to build accountability

Organizational Decision Making Polarity Principle Drift Hindsight Bias Relationships and Relational Correlation

Polarity Two apparently conflicting goals that are both necessary for success- people or profit Need to dissipate polarity Replace either/or with both/and thinking

Polarity Principle “The idea that setting absolutist and perfectionist goals followed by punitive measures to achieve those goals is a bankrupt model for motivation of risk and safety ownership. The model ignores hidden pressures that drive under reporting, totally misunderstands the nature of learning and believes that only hedonic principle (carrot and stick) drives human relationship.” – Rob Long, PhD

Drift Build sensitivity to weak signals Allow timely corrective actions Conversations address the successes, failures, outcomes, potential outcomes and how to best bridge the gaps.

Hindsight

Meet Kenny Cypress

The Blame Cycle Human Error Counsel / Discipline Reduced Trust Less Communication Mgmt Less Aware of Jobsite Conditions Latent Organizational Weakness Persists More Flawed Defenses

Relational Correlation Relationships drive behavior Improve performance by strengthening leader and follower relationships Policies, procedures, and standards are irrelevant if they are static

SCARF Model Status Certainty Autonomy Relatedness Fairness

Leaders Create or Undermine: What they pay attention to, measure, and control; Their reactions to incidents; Their allocation of resources; Their criteria for reward and punishment; and Their deliberate attempts to coach and model behaviors “Any time significant change comes up against significant culture – culture always wins.” – Dr. Edgar Schein

Communication Barriers Mistakes seen as failures Mgr/supervisors seen as experts Illusion of control Silos and suppressed collaboration Fear of giving/receiving feedback

Accountability Allow for learning; Focus on understanding; Establish clear, consistent, and manageable expectations; Communicate clearly and effectively; Ensure individuals understand and have what they need to fulfill expectations; Leaders continually reinforce and clarify expectations; Systems support expectations without conflict or barriers.

Changing Conversations Organizationally recognize and name polarities Remain consciously aware of the impact of all interactions Provide resources for natural conversation Explicitly deal with conflict Remain open to new or contradictory information Do not mistake meetings, s or announcements with conversation Humble Inquiry and Seek to Understand Cross-functional Trust

Cycle of Mistrust US THEM 1. Negative Action Observed 2. Negative Assumption Formed 3. Protective Action Taken 4. Negative Action Observed 5. Negative Assumption Formed 6. Protective Action Taken 7. Mistrust reinforces negative assumptions

Communication Training Workers Supervisors Managers Ask for what you need to hear, not what you want to hear Tell your boss what they need to hear, not what you think they want to hear

“We must stop all this communication and start having conversation.” – Mark Twain

Thank You! Accountability can only be achieved with clearly outlined expectations Train supervisors in soft skills allowing them to better understand how to converse with their staff Encourage MBWA