Preaccident Investigation Podcast

In our latest podcast episode, we welcome Nicholas Dahlstrom, Human Factors Manager at Emirates Airline. He takes us deep into his role, managing cultural diversities in one of the world's leading airlines. With more than 100 nationalities on the flight deck, cabin crew and wider company, Dahlstrom explores the benefits and challenges of such varied workforce. Listen as he shines a light on the greater professional culture subduing national cultural differences, sharing the impact of Covid-19 on operations, and explaining his diverse role at Emirates. Our conversation touches base with Dahlstrom's insights into training pilots and cabin crew, supporting the staff, and participating in accident investigation. A fascinating journey into the intricate workings of Emirates, this episode is a must-listen not to be missed! Navigating CRM and Aviation Safety Training with Dr. Nicholas DahlstromJoin us in this exciting podcast episode where we sit in conversation with Dr. Nicholas Dahlstrom, a prominent figure in Avi

The next time you experience a potential failure or safety issue, pause and ask, "Who, within the working sphere, wasn't surprised by that?" Todd Conklin hosts the Pre-Accident Investigation Safety Moment podcast episode and emphasizes this query's importance. Unexpected safety issues or near-miss incidents can sometimes be anticipated by individuals targeted in your work environment, and recognizing these signals can guide you to improve precautions. Understanding that some employees weren't startled by the risks and closely examining these situations is key. Significantly, however, creating a psychologically safe atmosphere is crucial to encourage employees to communicate freely and genuinely. This episode aims at creating an environment where employees feel secure enough to admit that the eventual risk was foreseeable. Conklin further points out that fully grasping these 'low-level' or 'weak' signals and timely risk identification can prevent potential disasters. It therefore becomes the leadership's respo

In this engaging episode, Todd revisits the genesis and evolution of the 'Fundamentals of Human Performance' class developed over 20 years ago at the Department of Energy at Los Alamos National Laboratory with teammates Martha Costa, Andrea Baker, and Bob Edwards. Together they reflect on the journey of this revolutionary concept, its global influence on safety practices, and the power of innovative thinking within a small group of committed individuals. The conversation provides an intimate look at the origin of their ideas, their growth, and their impact. It's more than a trip down memory lane; it's a testament to their ongoing commitment to global safety practices and standards. Todd and his guests also delve into their transition from operational learning to 'Learning Teams' within their organization. Despite skepticism and pushback, they highlight their struggles, successes, and the lessons learned in implementation. They candidly discuss the stumbling blocks faced, such as blame culture, and how they ul

In this enlightening episode, Todd Conklin explores the paradoxical concept that as a leader, not knowing can actually be a superior position to knowing. Sounds contrarian? Not in the slightest once you understand the reasoning behind it. The tenet of this discussion is founded on the notions of cognitive and confirmation biases - biases we unknowingly nurture. You might be wondering, "How is ignorance beneficial to a leader?" It's simple. Admitting ignorance gives you the licence to learn, often leading to you shedding your ego while entering a prolific phase of self-improvement. However, there is a common misconception that acts as a stumbling block for many leaders. It is the belief that displaying any form of ignorance is a sign of weakness, possibly raising questions about their competence. This episode aims to debunk such misconceptions, arguing that there is immense value in conceding ignorance and turning it into a powerful tool for learning. This intriguing discussion is topped with insights drawn fr

In the recent episode of the Pre-Accident Investigation Podcast, we unveil a new voice in the safety scene, Georgina Poole. Teaming up with Sydney Decker, Georgina provides fresh insights into understanding a firm's safety performance in their new book "Random Noise." The book brings a deep dive into the complexities of measuring safety within an enterprise. An insightful exploration, "Random Noise" is all set to burst common misconceptions about safety metrics and their importance, helping businesses enhance their comprehension and utilization of the same. With Georgina's first-hand experiences within the mining, oil, and gas sectors, and their profound journey of writing this book, they expose the critical aspects at the convergence of safety, performance and metrics. The book also points towards the repercussions of overemphasizing safety records. Filled with thought-provoking discussions on multilingual safety books, total recordable incident rates, injury frequency rates among other topics, this podcast

In this informative episode from Pre-Accident Investigation Safety Moment, Todd Conklin presents an invigorating discussion on the contrasting concepts of recovery and restoration in the realm of safety management. While at first glance, these terms may seem interchangeable, Conklin explains that they imbibe very different meanings. Recovery, as Conklin describes, is about bringing a system back to its original state post disruption. On the other hand, restoration brings in an evolved perspective. It goes beyond mere recovery by probing deeper into three significant queries - identifying what or who has been harmed, determining what needs to be done for improvement, and assigning accountability for ensuring necessary actions. According to Conklin, the true efficacy of restoration surfaces during challenging times such as the last four years of continuous change and uncertainty. It has been observed that organizations employing a restorative approach have bounced forward rather than simply bouncing back, arriv

In this enlightening podcast episode, Todd delves into resonant discussions on safety practices with guest expert, Drew Rae, professor at Griffith University and authority in safety science. Discover riveting debates on the essence and future of safety science, inconsistencies in research practices and the intriguing topic of safety culture. Witness how the conversation deepens as they unmask the contentious topic of Empirical vs. Emotional Decision-making in safety. Delve into revealing anecdotes on how empirical evidence is often overlooked, organizations resist change and hold on to traditional practices despite concrete proof. Drew stresses on the enormous value of evidence-backed decisions, shedding light on an intriguing case of deep-rooted emotional decision-making. The discourse then shifts onto the dynamic dimension of 'Safety Science'. Through intense discussion, they explore its multidisciplinarity, veneering of its indispensable role in credible research's foundation. They scrutinize the pitfalls

Welcome to this episode of Pre-Accident Investigation Safety Moment, with your engaging host, Todd Conklin. In this insightful talk, Todd delves into the theory that simply identifying risks isn't enough to ensure safety and efficiency. He emphasizes the importance of understanding what's risky and critical, acknowledging this as vital data. However, he coins the term "necessary but not sufficient" to explain that knowing what's risky alone is not enough. Instead, Todd stresses the critical need to match risk with control, posing it as a requisite approach for mitigation, barrier, or safeguard implementation. Todd elucidates how the relationship between risk and control within a system is crucial for maintaining balance. Identifying an imbalance in this relationship translates to a problem that not only impedes the system's reliability but also its efficiency. He further explains the interconnectedness and coexistence of robustness, reliability, and efficiency—basing all on the identification of risk. Todd cr

Discover the art of managing effective panel discussions, understanding complex topics like accountability, and handling leadership roles in safety podcasts. This episode of the Pre-Accident Investigation Podcast features insights from Zoe Nation, Martha Acosta, and Andrea Baker as they dive deep into the nuances, challenges, and importance of individual and collective accountability. Join an engaging conversation between four safety professionals about accountability in complex systems. Learn how accountability acts as the bonding thread in any organization, defining the clarity and complexity of daily operations. Also, discover how effective accountability practices can redefine the culture of a workplace. Much attention is paid to the role of accountability in restorative and retrospective contexts. The panelists explore why leaders place staggering importance on accountability and how it influences their leadership practices. Aptly, the discussion attempts to reinterpret the concept of accountability, pre

In this insightful episode, host Todd Conklin delves into an essential concept underpinning functioning safety practices in organizations. He emphasizes the need for competence in implementing innovative, quality safety measures through a quote that encapsulates the episode's primary message: "You can't have integration without competency." Throughout the podcast, Conklin engages listeners with his vibrant delivery, reiterating the impossibility of effective integration without the foundational competency within an organization. The discussion takes listeners through the necessity of not just the adoption of new safety ideas but also the critical role of skill and expertise in making them work within an existing infrastructure. In seeking a way to convey this crucial relationship to the audience, he recounts a moment of realization, when an acquaintance's words ring true: "You can't have integration without competency." He considers this one of the most significant messages he has ever imparted, touching on t

Unlock a whole new perspective on safety, accountability, and the transformative power of forgiveness in the professional realm with this insightful podcast episode. Sit in on a meaningful conversation with Sidney Decker, prolific Griffith University professor, as he skilfully unravels the 'don't blame' approach in companies and its deep tie-ins with learning. This discussion moves beyond the commonplace views on safety and accountability to place forgiveness at the fore. The narrative seamlessly weaves in elements from literature and philosophy to help demystify the intricate concepts of blame and forgiveness. It powerfully contests the conventional wisdom with a bold proposition: that forgiveness fuels learning, in direct contrast to the prevailing belief that blame hampers it. Enter into the complex world of forgiveness—not a weak act but a formidable force of evolution within an organization. This world opens the gates to learning and betterment for all members. From engaging banter to the nuances of draf

In this thought-provoking episode, Todd Conklin investigates the seldom-discussed downside of success - complacency. With his signature blend of insight and practicality, Todd challenges the prevalent notion of complacency as a choice, arguing that it is, instead, a function of system stability. Many organizations, he observes, see complacency as a behavioral fault to be stamped out. Yet, he contends, this understanding is flawed and counterproductive. Instead of regarding complacency as worker failure or sin, Todd urges us to see it for what it truly is - a byproduct of a stable system where nothing bad seems to be happening. The real challenge and solution, Todd suggests, lies in managing complacency through variability. He propounds that recognizing complacency as an inherent part of a steadily functioning system enables us to counter it more effectively. And the task is not as daunting as it appears because our systems, by nature, are attuned to such variability. In the end, Todd leaves us with a compelli

Welcome to an exciting episode featuring a conversation with Lisa Land, a human and organizational factors expert at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In this in-depth discussion, Lisa provides valuable perspectives on the role of leadership in the nuclear industry, the importance of resilience, and the integration of safety principles into work culture. In this episode, we zoom in on the most pressing issues in the nuclear sector, focusing on the balance between organizations transforming into learning entities while maintaining security and ensuring compliance. The conversation also delves into the complexities and complications within organizational structures and workflows. We explore the functioning of complex systems, including those within nuclear organizations. We discuss the tight and loose connections that exist, emphasizing the need to identify and monitor these links for designing a non-linear, unpredictive, and non-Newtonian workspace. Furthermore, we explore the application of chaos

Get Caught Trying to Make the World Better!Best Safety Podcast, Safety Program, Safety Storytelling, Investigations, Human Performance, Safety Differently, Operational Excellence, Resilience Engineering, Safety and Resilience Incentives...Give this a listen.Thanks for listening and tell your friends.See you on Audible...all my books are up on there.One of them is read by a British dude - it is like a Harry Potter book!Have a great day as well.

Get Caught Trying to Make the World Better!Best Safety Podcast, Safety Program, Safety Storytelling, Investigations, Human Performance, Safety Differently, Operational Excellence, Resilience Engineering, Safety and Resilience Incentives...Give this a listen.Thanks for listening and tell your friends.See you on Audible...all my books are up on there.One of them is read by a British dude - it is like a Harry Potter book!Have a great day as well.

Get Caught Trying to Make the World Better!Best Safety Podcast, Safety Program, Safety Storytelling, Investigations, Human Performance, Safety Differently, Operational Excellence, Resilience Engineering, Safety and Resilience Incentives...Give this a listen.Thanks for listening and tell your friends.See you on Audible...all my books are up on there.One of them is read by a British dude - it is like a Harry Potter book!Have a great day as well.

Get Caught Trying to Make the World Better!Best Safety Podcast, Safety Program, Safety Storytelling, Investigations, Human Performance, Safety Differently, Operational Excellence, Resilience Engineering, Safety and Resilience Incentives...Give this a listen.Thanks for listening and tell your friends.See you on Audible...all my books are up on there.One of them is read by a British dude - it is like a Harry Potter book!Have a great day as well.

Get Caught Trying to Make the World Better!Best Safety Podcast, Safety Program, Safety Storytelling, Investigations, Human Performance, Safety Differently, Operational Excellence, Resilience Engineering, Safety and Resilience Incentives...Give this a listen.Thanks for listening and tell your friends.See you on Audible...all my books are up on there.One of them is read by a British dude - it is like a Harry Potter book!Have a great day as well.

Get Caught Trying to Make the World Better!Best Safety Podcast, Safety Program, Safety Storytelling, Investigations, Human Performance, Safety Differently, Operational Excellence, Resilience Engineering, Safety and Resilience Incentives...Give this a listen.Thanks for listening and tell your friends.See you on Audible...all my books are up on there.One of them is read by a British dude - it is like a Harry Potter book!Have a great day as well.

Get Caught Trying to Make the World Better!Best Safety Podcast, Safety Program, Safety Storytelling, Investigations, Human Performance, Safety Differently, Operational Excellence, Resilience Engineering, Safety and Resilience Incentives...Give this a listen.Thanks for listening and tell your friends.See you on Audible...all my books are up on there.One of them is read by a British dude - it is like a Harry Potter book!Have a great day as well.