One of the very best ways to train, educate and develop people is to be a great role model.…so make sure you are modeling safe behavior by understanding and actively engaging in the COACH model:
Care . . .Show your team that you care by focusing on them and this subject of safety. Talk about it a lot to show that you really do care. Tell them that you care. You have to let people know what you are committed to and passionate about.
Observe . . .Your facility, your employee behavior, and work practices should be observed closely when it comes to safety. Just taking a few minutes each day to observe people working will give you lots of things to correct. Focus is a powerful leadership tool.
Act . . . If you are modeling great leadership, you will show that you care by acting as soon as you observe something that needs immediate correction—to avoid an incident or an injury. “Do it now” is one of the important management techniques we teach in my time management class. Timing is so important in many things in life, but it is vital and critical when you are dealing with the safety of others.
Communicate . . . Great leaders most often are great communicators who can find the right way to get the attention of others. When you communicate: you want to teach and you want the message to be heard. Find creative ways to communicate around safety issues. Great stories are a powerful way to communicate because they are easily remembered by the listeners. Remember that you have to communicate the same message points over . . . and over . . . and over for the message to get through.
Help . . . There are many ways to help people be safer and incident free. One way to help is to educate and teach; another way to help is to offer assistance—for instance, like showing someone how to lift something heavy. Another way to help is to be a great role model. Another way to help is to be clear around your expectations in the area of safety. Another way to help is to enforce the rules around safe work practices and safe work facilities.
If you do all of these things, you will be a great COACH. Remember that we, as leaders, really are coaches. Be a great COACH! . . . Lee
I no longer use the words “Training Officer” to refer to our staff. They are now Coaches and Team Members. I now explain to our new trainees that they are expected to subscribe to the team theory and we all stand together as a team. Here’s hoping it pays off in the future.