Black Belt Safety

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Robert Pater, SSA/MoveSMART Director
Industrial Safety & Hygiene News (October 1999)

Safety leadership can be an uphill battle. People often have limited, distorted, or negative views of safety and of safety leaders. And during these times of never-ending demand, stress and change, it's easy for key safety people to feel overwhelmed. But I've got news for you: you can act and react with more focus and control, and foster more dynamic and responsive organizations and safety performance by applying internal martial arts principles to your work and life.

Safety is ultimately personal self-defense. By developing the power to perceive seemingly "insignificant" forces, make relaxed judgments under pressure and move quickly when needed, you can boost "internal" safety.

Since 1972, I have practiced several martial arts, and I've always been impressed by how these disciplines apply to self-development, people and change management. Even without practicing martial arts for decades, you can still learn how to use these principles to improve your decision-making process and self-control, help you become more influential and a stronger force for safety. All with "effortless effort."

Consider the parallels between safety leadership and martial arts: both call for a powerful presence, an ability to remain calm under pressure, maintaining personal control, and the ability to respond fluidly to change. And, talk in both only matters so much; ultimately, the bottom line is what you can make work in real life. So how do you apply the principles of martial arts to your job in safety? Martial arts practitioners learn in three stages, which we'll briefly discuss in this article.

The martial art of safety leadership is the art and science of making (the right) things happen. Of course, those in positions of corporate authority have an advantage. But we've also worked with people who were without title or with little authority and who were still powerful agents for safety change. Many times these catalysts have had more influence on what has happened in an organization than those with the official stamp of position.

Martial arts experts develop in three stages. My safety consulting experience--with organizations such as 3M, Alcoa, American Airlines, Amtrak, Anheuser-Busch, Bethlehem Steel, Boeing, BP Amoco, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Conoco, Delphi Automotive Systems, Harley-Davidson, James River Corp., Johnson & Johnson, Kodak, Panama Canal, Phelps Dodge, United Parcel Service and many others--suggests that black-belt leaders develop in similar ways.

1. Control Yourself First

Martial arts students first focus on themselves, learning to control their own actions and reactions. "The greatest warrior conquers himself first," according to an ancient martial arts maxim.

Just as a martial arts instructor can't really teach to others a technique she can't make work, neither can a would-be safety leader bring out behaviors in others she can't do for herself. So if you wish others to control their own attitudes and emotions under stress, start by practicing doing the same yourself.

For instance, take this too-common situation in safety: you try to institute a change in your organization that others have requested--a new piece of ergonomic equipment, different training, clearer procedures--only to have these same individuals then resist the change. In this situation it's easy to become angry and frustrated and to take things personally, or to give up and form lasting, negative perceptions of others.

But martial arts experts--and master leaders--know that there are underlying rules of human nature that can magnify our power when artfully applied. Conversely, if ignored, these principles can overcome you. For example, just as yanking on a tangled rope can harden a knot, resorting to blind force when confronting workplace snags can result in even greater frustration.

So, if you want others to think and live more safely, control your own attitude and attention first. In this initial stage, train yourself to withstand pressure, to not freeze when you have to think fast and act strong. Take a hard look at what works and doesn't work for you. One person said that the definition of mental illness was continuing with old strategies that weren't working but expecting different results.

2. Influence Others

In the second phase, the focus is on developing understanding of others and the mechanisms that make them impressive allies, weak compatriots, or formidable enemies. "Success," wrote karate master Gichin Funakoshi, "cannot be attained alone. Any person's time and power is limited. A wise leader enlists others in working toward organizational goals."

The second stage for developing safety leadership power involves building a range of subtle methods for harnessing rather than fighting people's natural reactions and emotions. Emphasis can be on developing a strongly self-motivated staff, being effective without wielding a big stick, and using conflict to generate creativity.

For example, some understaffed safety professionals have discovered the power of "deputizing" hourly peer-trainers to become knowledgeable, motivated and credible safety instructors, coaches, and reinforcement agents. Others have developed antennae to read early warning signs of conflict in order to see and head off interdepartmental safety controversies before they become disasters.

3. Master Change

In the third phase, budding martial arts experts study the interaction between themselves and others. When someone moves in a certain way, how do I respond? And how can I influence how others change?

Focus here on mastering change, developing battle-tested strategies for reacting successfully to forces you cannot control, planning for organizational strength, and becoming an agent of productive change. For example, it's critical to be able to maintain safety focus during times of downsizing or merger/acquisitions; persuade senior management to actively lead safety; and elicit tangible resources for needed programs. In times of change, it makes more sense to direct overwhelming forces than to try to stop them.

The keys to mastering these principles are knowledge and practice. There are no magical results without work. Inspiration, persistence, and patience open the door to powerful performance. Remember, safety leadership won't be obtained just from reading. Apply these martial arts principles to your work and life. These principles work within my own company, in presentations to hostile groups, and in finding ways to considerably reduce injuries and heighten positive safety communications within previously resistant systems. You, too, can become a black belt in the art of safety leadership.

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