Lessons From BP

CEBViews recently posted an article Learning from BP  (Steven Williams, 9-9-10) which outlines three lessons that are worthy of executive and management attention. Their first point is one we write about in our upcoming book Safe By Accident?, that creating a truly safe workplace requires developing a culture where all employees are willing to speak up, share dissenting views, express concerns, report near misses, etc. Such behavior must be actively reinforced since the natural consequences associated with production pressure and deadlines discourage it. The article also points to better training around decision making in adverse conditions. Again, we agree, as long as that training includes practice, not just discussion. We should take a page from pilot training here; flight simulators provide the opportunity to gain fluency in decision making under adverse conditions. Classroom training will not have the same success.