Safety Culture Plus

As a Professional we have an opportunity to conduct training. And when you do conduct training and quiz the trainees on the subject manner, some trainees got the message you were trying to convey, while others just did not get it. Does this mean that you are a poor trainer? Or is it my technique? We all, from time to time need to step back and ask ourselves the following questions:

• Could it be the way my training program is developed?
• Did I deliver the training in a logical and consistent manner?
• Was the training provided in a good learning environment?
• Do we tend to know our subject so well that we have a hard time conveying our message to others?

I challenge everyone to think about these statements for just a minute.

Facts on Training Methods

There are many organizations that provide an entire training package that includes a written script (and sometimes a video) that is supposed to solve all safety problems. In many cases this safety training becomes a “Soap Box” event where we only convey what we are provided, i.e., reading a prepared script that may or may not apply to the specific condition. Therefore, sometimes we tend to make training more difficult than it needs to be.

In many cases we use videos to shock trainees into being safe. When using these videos, the immediate response, is “Oh! My!” and then after the meeting, back to the same behaviors. We all have a short attention span and this type of “Shock Therapy” is only short lived. My question is: Do “Shock Videos” and prepared scripts add value to the safety process? Some readers will disagree with me and that is okay. Everyone has a method that they feel fits their model.

New Training Considerations

We are all trainers in some respect, no matter what position you hold, whether it is at work or in your personal life. Safety Professional train other individuals to be “Safe” and as parents we train our children to be “Safe.” What is the difference? Maybe the method! So, this article is not intended to provide anyone a new technique, but merely to introduce an alternative view of training.

As we continue I want to encourage everyone to keep an open mind and just think about what is be presented.

“Blues Clues”

After some extensive research on training methods I came across something interesting that I want to want to share with you. This new concept is based on “Blues Clues.”

“Blues Clues” is a cartoon that was developed for children between the ages 3 to 5 years.

In an article , written by Diane Tracy “Follow Blue’s Clues to Find Business Success” she ask several questions “Do you feel that going to the office requires that you leave your personal values at the door and don the mantle of corporate toughness? Do you assume that work is work and fun is fun and never the twain shall meet? Do you believe that embracing "softer" qualities like compassion, joy, curiosity, and playfulness would negatively impact profits? If your answer is yes, you’re not alone. Too many of us have allowed our "childlike" values to be programmed right out of us and as a result, too many companies are failing to live up to their full potential.” Reference http://www.business-journal.com/survival/articles/startrun/BluesClues.html

Also, in a book written by Diane Tracy, “Blue’s Clues for Success: The Eight Secrets behind a Phenomenal Business,” she explores the success of the Nickelodeon children’s show that has become a highly-merchandized international phenomenon. She states that the central message reflects the famous Blue’s Clues line: “If you use your mind and take a step at a time, you can do anything you want to do.”

In her book she provides an overview of how the creators of “Blue’s Clues” took their fundamental core values, their inherent love for children, and a basic premise that work should be enjoyable and parlayed them into a business which has become a household name.

She continues "The people involved with “Blue’s Clues” are an inspiration to anyone in business." “They love coming to work every day. Their egos rarely get in the way, because everyone is so focused on creating a great product for their customers. They are able to maintain that fine balance between meeting the bottom line and creating a caring, compassionate, fulfilling work environment."

Nick Jr. Television and Improved Self-Esteem?
Dr. Alice Wilder of Nick Jr. Television states that: “We use a multi-layered approach. In every episode the learning concepts become more difficult. We start with concepts that preschoolers can easily grasp. Once they get the hang of it they can try something more difficult. They also achieve mastery through repetition. We find that the kids might not understand everything on Monday, but by Friday they will.” Reference: http://nickjr.co.uk/shows/blues/more.aspx

Case Study

How can this concept be applied to adult learning? Adults have different behaviors than children, but the process of learning is basically the same.

As a Certified Safety Professional and now a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt I wanted to let others know what I discovered in my journey to certification.

Part of my certification process required me to complete a project. A team was developed and spent a lot of time deciding on how to conduct a “Safety” project using Six Sigma tools. Our baseline data told us that 80% of the individuals in the study were putting themselves at-risk when using their hands. Armed with this data we asked many questions concerning training: A typical response was: “We train” our employees on safety all the time. We just do not understand why they still get hurt!” So the question: Why is the safety message not getting through to employees?

In the Six Sigma tool box we used a tool called the “Gauge Repeatability and Reproductively (R&R) Study,” a study to determine if there is variability that exists in a measurement system.

A gauge was conducted using three supervisors and three employees who all had knowledge of the process. The result of the study revealed a 60% gap between what the supervisors perceived was safe and the perception of how the employee was trained. As a result a Design of Experiment (DOE) was developed to determine the effectiveness of training methods which incorporated a series of pictures. The objective was to determine the effectiveness of specific training method.

Based on the results of the DOE study a new gauge study was conducted resulting in a 35% improvement.

There was no real surprise on which training method was the most effective. If I talk to you and show you a picture (“Show and Tell”), you will remember about 95% of what you have been shown, where as in using the traditional written script method a 5% retention rate. This all goes back to the story of “Blues Clues” where on Monday you may not know all of the answers, but by Friday you know how to respond to all questions with the correct answer.

I hope that this article has put a new light on training methods.