Just imagine where how your day could end up if you spent the day telling people what you don’t want. You might start by saying you are not in the mood for toast at breakfast, tell your children not to be late home from school in the afternoon, and then tell your partner not to forget to buy some milk after they drop you at the station. On the platform a fellow traveller asks how you are, you say “not bad”. Sounding familiar so far? That is just before we start our working day. In the office, it may be that you ask for the report not to be late, or for the final minutes to be without errors. So far, all you have done, apart from potentially mildly infuriating those around, by expect them to psychically know what you ‘DO’ want, it isn’t likely to be safety critical.
Instead, imagine the first day for a new trainee (Steve), in the maintenance workshop. There is an old guillotine on a sturdy work bench. James, the chap who normally gives the induction is off getting some parts so Michael does the induction. He starts at the guillotine explaining how it works by saying how dangerous it is and to “…make sure to don’t get your hand caught in it” (notice the imagery or thoughts that statement creates in your mind), whereas James, who understands about clear language usually says “…make sure you keep your hand well clear” (notice the different imagery or thoughts that statement creates).
When we tell someone to ‘not’ do something or ‘don’t’ do something, what we are doing is actually creating the suggestion of them doing it, only then to expect them to resist doing whatever it was in the first place. Furthermore, the more you tell them not to, the more compelling it can become. How many times have you been tempted to walk on the grass, just because the sign says “Do not walk on the grass”?
So, your challenge for this week, is notice how often you say ‘don’t’ and active change them.
Dr Kate Beaven-Marks’ approach to communication derives from two parallel careers, as a Chartered Occupational Health and Safety Practitioner and as a Board Certified Hypnotist, Advanced Practitioner and lecturer. Many years managing health, safety and wellbeing in heavy industry, the education sector, and as a consultant, developed a keen awareness of the impact of language and how it influences perceptions, actions and outcomes. As Director of Studies at the Alterjective Institute, Kate works with UK-based and international individuals, from ground-floor to board-room, through to entire organisations, helping them to develop communication insight, understanding and resources to optimise their communication effectiveness.
Dr Kate Beaven-Marks will be speaking at the IOSH conference on the 17 June at 11.35 in Track A.
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Brilliant article Ros, some great examples too. Safety can learn a lot from Sport Psychology and find better ways of communicating the message to impact on behaviour.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts