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October, 2005
Part 2, Negotiating the Contract
Last week, we discussed how to select an outside contractor. Let’s now look at the next crucial phase of the contracting process: Negotiating the agreement. In addition to offering up a negotiating checklist, I’ve provided a model agreement (in the Tools section of SafetyXChange).
Everything Is Negotiable
The first thing you need to understand is [...]
Ask Lauryn
1. Should My Resume Hide My Age?
Dear Lauryn: I’m 57 years old. My resume shows the date I graduated from college as well as all my employment dates. It has been suggested that I remove all dates except for the last decade or so. I’m up in the air on this. I don’t want [...]
Part 1 of 4, Blackboards and Whiteboards
Presenters and trainers often feel compelled to use technology’s latest bells and whistles to ensure that their presentations are taken seriously. Sure, some fancy features can jazz up a presentation. But are they always necessary? Absolutely not! I’m here to tell you that you can deliver a great presentation without state-of-the-art technology. For example, a [...]
The United States Postal Service and Hurricane Response
Its post office in Creole, LA, was wrenched from the foundation and blown 200 feet (61 meters) away. Another facility was completely obliterated, leaving only a slab and a leaning flagpole as clues to its former existence.
The United States Postal Service (USPS) took a big hit from the recent hurricanes. The double-barreled blasts from Hurricanes [...]
Incident Response, Part 3: The People
Preventing incidents is the ultimate goal of the safety professional. But preparing to respond to an incident is a huge part of our job. Despite our best efforts, incidents will occur. With proper preparation, we can minimize the damage they do. To properly prepare for an incident, every organization must have four elements in place. [...]
Part 1, The Hiring Process
Just about all companies use outside contractors for something – to maintain boilers, service photocopiers or simply tidy up the workplace after hours. Recent activities outside of my general manufacturing background have enabled me to learn some important lessons about the challenges a company assumes when it engages an outside contractor. I would like to [...]
Charles F. Knight and the Power of Emerson Electric
Looking for a good book? Try Performance Without Compromise, by Charles F. Knight. A celebrated business leader, Knight was CEO of Emerson Electric for 27 years. I think you’ll find his book an intriguing read and a source of insight on successful management.
For over 40 years, Emerson Electric achieved consecutive annual increases in [...]
The Fine Line Between Safety Routine and Complacency
Safety professionals like to talk about establishing safety “routines.” I’m not so sure that this is exactly the right approach. The dictionary definition of “routine” is an “unvarying or habitual method of procedure.” But “unvarying” and “habitual” are qualities that hamstring the display of an equally important aspect of safety: the ability to think and [...]
Part 2: The Internal Responsibility System
Saying that “safety is everybody’s responsibility” is tantamount to saying that it’s nobody’s responsibility in particular. In Part 1 of this series, I discussed the importance of defining and assigning specific safety-related responsibilities to each job level in the organization, position by position. I’d like to continue the discussion on assignment of safety responsibilities but [...]
Incident Response, Part 2 of 3: The Accident Investigation Plan
While the ultimate goal of the safety professional is to prevent incidents, preparing to respond to one is also very important. With proper preparation, safety professionals can minimize the damage incidents cause when they occur. To properly prepare for an incident, every organization must have four elements in place. Last week, we discussed the Incident [...]