Shawn M Galloway of ProAct Safety On Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective Leader During Uncertain & Turbulent Times
Concentrate on your presence and the behaviors you exhibit. Your responses play a critical role in establishing the tone for your team and significantly influence the level of trust that others place in your leadership. This trust is essential for fostering commitment and ensuring team members remain engaged and motivated to follow your direction. By consistently demonstrating positive and constructive behaviors, you reinforce a culture of trust and collaboration within your organization.
As part of our series about the “Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective Leader During Turbulent Times”, we had the pleasure of interviewing Shawn M. Galloway.
Shawn M. Galloway is the CEO of the global consultancy ProAct Safety. With over twenty years of experience in safety systems, strategy, culture, leadership, and employee engagement, he is a trusted advisor, keynote speaker, and expert witness. He is the author of several bestselling books and has multiple regular columns in leading magazines, with over 400 published articles. He hosts the podcast Safety Culture Excellence, with over 800 episodes.
As a leading and globally recognized expert on safety excellence, he has helped hundreds of organizations within every major industry achieve and sustain excellence in performance and culture. Through Shawn’s consulting efforts, he has personally worked with organizations such as Alcoa, Amway, ARAMARK, BAE Systems, Baker Hughes, Bayer-Monsanto, BHP Billiton, Boeing, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, CF Industries, ChevronPhillips, Cummins, Eastman Chemical, ExxonMobil, FMC, Georgia-Pacific, Herman Miller, Honda, Ingersoll Rand, International Paper, John Deere, Kiewit, Koch Industries, Martin Marietta Materials, Memorial Hermann, MD Anderson, Moog, Merck, National Institutes of Health, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Newell Rubbermaid, ONEOK, Peabody, Petroleum Development Oman, Rockwell Automation, Saint-Gobain, Sandia National Laboratories, Southern Company, Starbucks, Timken, United States Capital, United States Armed Forces, Wrigley, Xcel Energy, and over a hundred similar international organizations.
He has been interviewed on Fox News, EHS Network Radio, Safety and Health Magazine, EHS Today Magazine, ISHN Magazine, Safety Decisions Magazine, EHS Daily Advisor, Faces of EHS, Wild World of Safety Podcast, EHS Daily Advisor Podcast, Utility Safety Podcast, The Case for Safety Podcast, Occupational Safety Leadership Podcast, On the Safe Side Podcast, Healthbeat Podcast, The Great Conversation Podcast, True Safety Podcast, RedRisks Podcast, and Safety Culture Solutions Podcast.
Shawn’s passion, dedication, influence, and significant contributions to the safety field have been widely recognized. He has received numerous awards and accolades, including Global Safety Excellence Expert, Power 101 Leaders of the EHS World, Top 50 People Who Most Influenced EHS, Top 40 Rising Stars, and Top 11 Health and Safety Influencers. His status as an esteemed Avetta Distinguished Fellow further underscores his expertise and makes his perspectives globally sought after.
Thank you so much for your time! I know that you are a very busy person. Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?
My transition from the military to the business sector was a significant turning point in my career. After serving in the United States Army, which I enlisted at seventeen, I began my corporate journey with Fluor Daniel, now known as Fluor. My focus was on process engineering within hazardous chemical operations, which introduced me to OSHA’s Process Safety Management (PSM) regulations during the mid to late 1990s.
When Fluor proposed relocating from Sugarland, Texas, to Irvine, California, without a corresponding increase in compensation, I decided to transition to a consulting firm that specialized in process safety management. Drawing on my military background and expertise in PSM, I dedicated my efforts primarily to safety compliance.
In 2005, I was recruited by ProAct Safety, a firm founded in 1993 by Terry Mathis. Initially, my role as a managing consultant centered on compliance support; however, I later shifted my focus to enhancing organizations through what we refer to as The Five Core Capacities for Sustainable Safety Excellence: system capacity, leadership capacity, engagement capacity, cultural capacity, and strategic capacity.
Over the years, I have progressed through various leadership roles, ultimately being promoted to Vice President, then President, and COO. In 2021, following Terry’s retirement, I took on the role of CEO and became the sole shareholder of the firm. I have had the privilege of working across diverse industries globally and take great pride in my passion for advancing safety excellence in the workplace.
It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
Since my first starting was military, I’ll tell an embarrassing one that can be found in my book, Bridge to Excellence: Building Capacity for Sustainable Performance. “Right out of basic training, I had been sent to Fort Gordon for AIT (advanced individual training). Basic had lasted a couple of months, during which time we were locked down at the base. While at AIT we got our first weekend pass, and we were dying to get off base.
A large group of us, young guys and gals, went to a cabin owned by one member of the group for the weekend. When Sunday morning came, we knew we had to be back on the base at a certain time in proper uniform and in formation. We knew that, but some of us took our time and wound up at a Ruby Tuesday’s restaurant for what was either a late breakfast or an early lunch; I don’t remember what we called it. There were six of us at the restaurant, young men and women trying to squeeze everything we could out of our freedom. But our server, who was familiar with military matters and routines, said to us, “Don’t you have to be back at the base soon?”
None of us had a car, and in 1994, Uber hadn’t been invented yet. We had to get a cab, but this being our first trip off the base, we didn’t know how hard it was to get one in that part of town. We hustled out to find a payphone then called every cab company we found in the phone book. We finally found a couple of cabs — remember, there were six of us — and I wound up hurrying back to base in the backseat of a cab with two women soldiers, all of us dressed in civilian clothing. I was also wearing the cowboy boots I had brought with me to the army, plus a cowboy hat I had just bought in town. I’m from Texas, and I missed wearing my hat and boots during basic.
The cab pulled up right in front of the formation, rows and rows of soldiers in perfect order and proper uniform. Drill Sergeant Martinez looked at me as I got out of the cab, complete with cowboy hat and boots, and said, “Nice of you to join us, now beat your face.” That meant I had to do pushups. I started to take off my cowboy hat, but he said, “No, no, you want that cowboy hat so much. Put that cowboy hat back on.” So, I had to go down in front of the whole battalion to do my pushups with hat on head. From that point on, all during my AIT stationed at Fort Gordon, I was known as “Private Cowboy.”
The takeaway was the importance of punctuality. Not just to those I serve under, but what it means to those I serve with and to be honorable to myself. I take that to my corporate career and it reminds me of the importance of respecting others’ time and ensuring what I’m doing is of value to them with the time and resources they are investing. This, in turn, led me to realize that being strategic in safety is about value creation, not failing less, and is accomplished by answering two questions often. Are we focusing on the most important thing that brings value in improving safety performance and culture, and are we creating the perception of value with the things we are focusing on?
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?
Reflecting on my experiences, I am reminded of a valuable lesson imparted by my father. My work life began at the age of ten with a paper route, but during my first tax-paying job at sixteen, he shared a crucial insight: “Shawn, no one owes you a job; you must show and demonstrate new value every day.” This principle has become the cornerstone of my work ethic. It serves as my guiding mantra in all my professional interactions, particularly in my roles as a coach, mentor, and supporter. In my observations, many leaders, despite their good intentions, often fall into the misconception that increased safety measures alone equate to better outcomes. However, it is essential to recognize that “better safety” is the true goal. This requires a focused approach to value creation that prioritizes the prevention of injuries and illnesses. While these objectives are undeniably valuable, if the methods employed lead to disengagement or demotivation among employees and executives alike, then we are not achieving success. True leadership involves fostering an environment where safety initiatives are both effective and engaging, ultimately driving a culture of safety excellence.
Extensive research suggests that “purpose-driven businesses” are more successful in many areas. When your organization started, what was its vision, what was its purpose?
When ProAct Safety was founded in 1993, it operated under the name Integrated Performance Technologies Inc. (IPTI), primarily focusing on enhancing organizational performance across various operational facets. Over time, the firm naturally evolved to place a greater emphasis on safety, reflecting the interests and background of our founder. In 2021, upon assuming leadership, I initiated another significant evolution of our purpose. Throughout my career, I have been involved in various critical safety situations, including recovering bodies, investigating numerous fatal incidents, and collaborating with many of the industry’s top safety-performing organizations. I have supported hundreds of corporations on their journey toward achieving excellence in safety performance and culture, witnessing a spectrum of starting points from exemplary to subpar. Due to my extensive experience, many clients have referred to me as a “human benchmark” for safety practices. This insight has led me to redefine our mission: to continually challenge conventional thinking surrounding excellence in safety. We aim to connect with individuals on a personal level, influencing decision-making processes both at work and at home.
Thank you for all that. Let’s now turn to the main focus of our discussion. Can you share with our readers a story from your own experience about how you lead your team during uncertain or difficult times?
Certainly, many of us experienced significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, and for my firm, it marked the most substantial disruption in our 30-year history. As a consulting firm that relied heavily on in-person engagements — accounting for over 80% of our revenue — COVID-19 posed a serious threat to our operations and income stream. However, we navigated this crisis and emerged stronger, thanks to our team’s ability to come together and leverage each other’s strengths. A personal and professional challenge arose when our founder, Terry, decided to retire due to the pandemic, allowing him not to travel anymore. Terry had been an unwavering mentor and the face of the company, and his absence meant I had to make critical decisions without his guidance while demonstrating my capability to steer the firm in a new direction. I take great pride in our team’s resilience and collective ability to recover, rebound, and continue growing as an organization. We have successfully evolved beyond Terry’s expectations, positioning ourselves for future success.
Did you ever consider giving up? Where did you get the motivation to continue through your challenges? What sustains your drive?
I have never entertained the thought of giving up, as my passion for my work is unwavering. However, frequent domestic and international travel does present its challenges, and there are certainly days when maintaining motivation can be difficult. In my role focused on enhancing workplace safety, I am frequently reminded of the critical importance of our efforts. Despite significant advancements in reducing accident frequency, the troubling reality is that fatalities are on the rise in the United States and many other regions worldwide.
A recent incident involving an organization I have supported for many years serves as a poignant reminder of this complexity. This organization transformed from having subpar occupational safety practices to achieving excellence; yet, tragically, an employee lost their life on the job last week. Such events highlight the multifaceted nature of preventing injuries and fatalities. Regardless of the robust systems and a culture of safety excellence that organizations implement, human error is an inherent risk and likely to occur, and outcomes do not always align with intentions.
While the demands of travel and time away from my family can be taxing, I have never considered quitting. If it requires personal sacrifice or enduring inconveniences in order to save a life, I remain fully committed to that mission.
I’m an author and I believe that books have the power to change lives. Do you have a book in your life that impacted you and inspired you to be an effective leader? Can you share a story?
In my efforts to transform organizational performance and establish systems for evaluating the effectiveness of decision-making, one pivotal resource that significantly influenced my thinking was Dean Spitzer’s 2007 book Transforming Performance Measurement: Rethinking the Way We Measure and Drive Organizational Success. In this work, Spitzer emphasizes that one of the primary reasons companies fail to achieve their objectives is their tendency to measure what they do not want rather than what they aspire to accomplish. This observation is particularly relevant in the realm of safety.
Many organizations continue to focus predominantly on tracking negative outcomes such as incidents, illnesses, and injuries. This approach can lead even the most astute professionals to mistakenly equate a reduction in injuries with genuine improvement in safety performance. Furthermore, it fosters the belief that an absence of injuries equates to excellence in safety management. Consequently, I have collaborated with numerous organizations to develop a balanced scorecard that not only measures safety performance drivers but also assesses the value these drivers create alongside traditional lagging indicators. This comprehensive framework empowers organizations to better understand the processes leading to zero injuries rather than relying on luck — an inherently flawed strategy. By shifting the focus to proactive measurement, organizations can better manage safety outcomes and foster a culture of continuous improvement.
What would you say is the most critical role of a leader during challenging times?
Concentrate on your presence and the behaviors you exhibit. Your responses play a critical role in establishing the tone for your team and significantly influence the level of trust that others place in your leadership. This trust is essential for fostering commitment and ensuring team members remain engaged and motivated to follow your direction. By consistently demonstrating positive and constructive behaviors, you reinforce a culture of trust and collaboration within your organization.
When the future seems so uncertain, what is the best way to boost morale? What can a leader do to inspire, motivate and engage their team?
Motivation is fundamentally intrinsic; a leader cannot directly motivate an employee because true motivation arises from within individuals. While employees may engage in activities for extrinsic reasons, such motivation tends to be transient, as external factors can change and diminish in appeal. Therefore, leaders must cultivate an environment that inspires individuals to strive for more than merely collecting a paycheck. Leaders should prioritize transparency regarding the organization’s current state while articulating a clear and compelling vision for the future. This vision should encompass desired outcomes in results, behaviorally defined observations, and the behavioral changes needed to achieve them. By generating excitement about the potential for a better future, leaders can help team members understand their roles in realizing this vision and emphasize the significance of their contributions to the organization’s purpose. Providing ongoing coaching and feedback, alongside efforts to eliminate barriers to engagement, is essential for enabling employees to fulfill their responsibilities successfully. Key considerations for leaders managing other leaders include:
- Identify and, to the best of your ability, neutralize any demotivating factors within the team. Subsequently, introduce motivators and ensure that individuals who exceed expectations are appropriately rewarded and recognized.
- Acknowledge that the number of first-line supervisors within your organization corresponds to the number of potential subcultures. Motivation and engagement are often determined at the interface between employees and their direct supervisors, regardless of management hierarchy.
By focusing on these aspects, leaders can effectively enhance team motivation and engagement.
What is the best way to communicate difficult news to one’s team and customers?
Embrace personal responsibility wherever feasible, and ensure that your communications are grounded in verifiable facts while maintaining transparency about your knowledge. Provide comprehensive explanations, including the rationale behind decisions, to foster understanding among team members and customers. Additionally, it is important to recognize that individuals often respond to change on an emotional level before processing it intellectually.
How can a leader make plans when the future is so unpredictable?
I think any leader who is confident in their plans and the future is a leader who will very likely be punched in the face if we also listen to the boxer Mike Tyson when he quipped, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.” In my 2016 book, Inside Strategy: Value Creation from Within Your Organization, I outlined a proven methodology to develop plans even when uncertain. Here are the ten questions that must be asked and answered: 1. Customers: Who really are our customers now? 2. Vision: What does success look like? 3. Rationale: Why are we doing this and pursuing this? 4. Story: What is the compelling reason and story that will sway hearts and minds? 5. Scope: What is our scope? 6. Snipers or Support: What will work against us? What will work with us? 7. Data-Driven Strategic Priorities: Knowing what we know at this point, what are the main areas of focus for improvement, both short- and long-term? 8. Initiatives Fit and Support: What actions or initiatives would most directly support the priorities and get us closer to our vision? 9. Alignment for Execution: How do we align everyone to our vision (what story should we tell that gets everyone excited and engaged, and what are everyone’s roles and responsibilities in this)? 10. Sustain Improvement and Live Strategy: How will we measure our progress?
When making choices when the future is uncertain, leaders need decision qualifiers. Here are the top three: Does this fit within our existing strategy? Does this get us closer to our vision of success? And, does data support going in this or a different direction?
Is there a “number one principle” that can help guide a company through the ups and downs of turbulent times?
My principle or mantra is: Ensure alignment, accountability, autonomy, and agility. This entails ensuring that all team members are aligned with the objectives and understand the rationale behind them. Each individual should be held accountable for their respective roles in achieving success while also being granted the autonomy to make decisions within their purview to maintain progress. Furthermore, it is essential to cultivate an agile environment that allows course adjustments in response to new data or evidence indicating the need for change. You can enhance organizational effectiveness and responsiveness by ensuring alignment, accountability, autonomy, and agility.
Can you share 3 or 4 of the most common mistakes you have seen other businesses make during difficult times? What should one keep in mind to avoid that?
In my experience, the top four are knee-jerk reactions, focusing on the wrong things, working to avoid failure rather than pursuing success and value creation, and falling into the sunk-cost fallacy trap. I’ll elaborate:
Knee-jerk reactions: Businesses may succumb to hastily implementing drastic changes, making impulsive financial decisions, or drastically altering long-term strategies. Leaders should prioritize deliberate, data-driven decision-making over impulsive reactions. It is crucial to assess the situation thoroughly, evaluate multiple perspectives, and consider the long-term implications of potential actions. Establishing a strategic decision-making framework, involving key stakeholders, and conducting scenario planning can help mitigate knee-jerk reactions and promote thoughtful, well-informed responses to challenges.
Focusing on the Wrong Things: Businesses may fall into the trap of allocating disproportionate time and resources to peripheral or non-critical issues, diverting attention from crucial strategic priorities that directly impact the organization’s resilience and recovery. Leaders must focus on fundamental business priorities, such as safeguarding employee well-being, ensuring financial stability, preserving customer relationships, and sustaining core operational functions. By aligning efforts with the most critical objectives, leaders can effectively steer the organization through difficult times while avoiding distractions that do not directly contribute to the overarching business objectives.
Working to Avoid Failure Rather than Pursuing Success and Value Creation: During challenging periods, a leadership team may adopt a defensive approach, focusing solely on mitigating risks and avoiding failure, which can hinder proactive strategies for growth, innovation, and value creation. A balanced approach that emphasizes both risk mitigation and value creation should be pursued. By maintaining a forward-thinking outlook and exploring opportunities for innovation, strategic partnerships, and operational efficiencies, businesses can position themselves for growth and resilience despite adversity. Embracing a proactive mindset that integrates risk management with strategic value creation is essential for sustainable success in difficult times.
Falling into the Sunk Cost Fallacy Trap. Companies may persist with failing initiatives, investments, or strategies due to the sunk cost fallacy, whereby time, resources, and effort already invested prevent objective decision-making from discontinuing unproductive endeavors. Leaders must remain cognizant of the sunk cost fallacy and be willing to critically evaluate ongoing projects, investments, or initiatives in light of their current and future value. Embracing a culture of adaptability and resilience involves acknowledging when to pivot, divest, or discontinue initiatives that no longer align with the organization’s strategic objectives. Leaders should emphasize the importance of timely and data-driven decision-making, allowing the organization to reallocate resources and focus on more promising opportunities for sustainable growth.
Here is the primary question of our discussion. Based on your experience and success, what are the five most important things a business leader should do to lead effectively during uncertain and turbulent times? Please share a story or an example for each.
I have established a framework referred to as the 5-Focused Leadership Mindset, which outlines the critical functions of effective leadership in today’s dynamic environment:
Self-Focused: As Henry Ford wisely noted, “When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” The mindset of a leader is often invisible, yet their behaviors have a significant impact. During challenging periods, leaders’ actions can reflect their own anxieties and uncertainties about the future. When leaders display concern, it can create unease within their teams; conversely, exhibiting confidence can instill reassurance. It is essential for leaders to take the lead, as team members seek guidance during turbulent times. Much like airline attendants instruct passengers to “put your oxygen mask on first before assisting others,” leaders must prioritize their mental well-being to effectively support their teams.
People-Focused: Philosopher Thomas Carlyle once stated, “No person was ever rightly understood until they had been first regarded with a certain feeling, not of tolerance, but of sympathy.” Leaders often possess insights into the organization’s conditions that may not be fully shareable. Teams require direction, confidence, empathy, encouragement, and consistent, transparent communication. A lack of these elements can lead to disengagement. High-performing teams are forged through shared experiences of overcoming challenges rather than superficial team-building exercises. Strong leaders create an environment of openness, reassuring their teams by clarifying the path forward, identifying obstacles, and allocating necessary resources. A leader who adopts a “Don’t bring me a problem without a solution” mentality may inadvertently limit both challenges and opportunities for growth. Prioritizing empathy and support for teams is paramount. Leaders must recognize and address the emotional and psychological effects of challenging times on employees, fostering a culture of empathy, actively listening to concerns, and providing adequate support. Promoting mental health initiatives and offering resources for work-life balance can help employees navigate challenges more effectively.
Strategy-Focused: Sun Tzu highlighted, “Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” In times of adversity, reassessing strategy is crucial. Organizations must avoid relying on disjointed tactics that lack a cohesive strategy emphasizing value creation. A well-defined strategy guides choices, trade-offs, and calculated risks, shaping how an organization captures and delivers value. Decision-making should prioritize immediate and sustainable customer value, both internally and externally. In financially challenging times, indiscriminate cuts can be tempting; however, precise, thoughtful reductions are essential for recovery. Building strategic resilience is critical for leaders navigating uncertain periods. Resilient leaders focus on developing robust contingency plans, conducting scenario analyses, and implementing risk management strategies. By anticipating challenges, identifying opportunities, and adopting a proactive stance, leaders can position their organizations to withstand adversity and emerge stronger. During uncertain times, adaptability and agility in decision-making and operational strategies are crucial. Embracing flexibility enables leaders to adjust priorities, pivot business models, and proactively respond to evolving market dynamics and customer needs. Fostering a culture of continuous learning and innovation encourages curiosity, creativity, and experimentation, inspiring adaptive thinking and value creation, ultimately driving sustainable growth.
Communication-Focused: George Bernard Shaw astutely observed, “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” Effective communication is vital in turbulent times. Business leaders must maintain transparent and open lines of communication with employees, stakeholders, and customers. Providing regular updates, sharing relevant information, and outlining a clear roadmap for navigating challenges can alleviate uncertainty and build trust within the organization and the broader community. By fostering an atmosphere of openness and transparency, leaders can instill confidence and resilience in their teams, which is essential for morale and performance.
Customer-Focused: According to the Gartner Group, “95% of companies collect customer feedback. Yet only 10% use the feedback to improve, and only 5% inform customers of their actions in response.” Mike Gospe, Co-founder and Principal of KickStart Alliance, emphasizes, “Whoever understands the customer best wins.” In challenging times, this insight can be refined to state, “Whoever engages with the customer most effectively wins.” Competing solely on price is a precarious strategy; the focus must shift to delivering exceptional value and creating unexpected advantages. Achieving this level of understanding necessitates close relationships with both internal and external customers.
All advancement begins with a shift in perspective. The 5-Focused Leadership Mindset has proven effective for numerous leaders. While prioritizing personal well-being may appear self-serving, leaders must be mentally prepared to lead effectively. Your team may require a leadership style different from what they have previously experienced. It is the leader’s responsibility to evolve to meet the needs of their team, including developing a new strategy and effectively communicating its value. However, without a thorough understanding of customer priorities and how to create competitive differentiation, any strategy is at risk of failure. Most initiatives falter at the outset rather than the conclusion; therefore, it is essential to begin with a strong, focused mindset to navigate through difficult or uncertain times.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
People support what they help to create. This is attributed to Dr. W. Edwards Deming and has helped me so many times lead groups through transformation and culture change. Culture change happens best from within and creating a sense of ownership in the efforts to shape safety performance and culture are impossible without adhering to that quote.
How can our readers further follow your work?
I’m on all of the popular social media apps and welcome new connections, but the best way to follow my work are through two channels: My newsletter on LinkedIn called Maturing Safety Thinking or by subscribing to my company newsletter at www.ProActSafety.com
Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!
And to you!
Shawn M Galloway of ProAct Safety On Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective Leader During… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.