The theme of this year’s IOSH conference is ‘ inspiring leadership’, with speakers such as HSE chair Judith Hackitt CBE and Lawrence Waterman, head of health and safety at the Battersea Power Station Development Company (and formerly head of health and safety for the London 2012 Olympics project) delivering keynotes on effective ways to engage with a workforce. The theme runs through seminars and panel sessions throughout the conference, so we have picked the sessions you really shouldn’t miss.
1) General the Lord Richard Dannatt GCB CBE MD DL, former chief of the general staff, British Army
“The key to good leadership is belief…the leader must believe in the project…and those in the team must believe in the leader,” says General the Lord Richard Dannatt, whose seminar at the IOSH conference: Soldiers and Safety — A Contradiction in Terms, promises to be a fascinating look into the inner workings of the British Army, and the part health and safety has to play in an inherently life-threatening vocation.
2) Stephen, Carver, Consultant Lecturer, Cranfield University
“People are much more realistic, more savvy, and in many ways cynical — ‘you might be a leader, but why should I follow you?'” Stephen Carver promises to be a very entertaining and engaging speaker on the subject of leadership. He’s the kind of speaker that likes to engage in a bit of audience participation. During his career he has worked in many sectors, including finance; construction; oil and gas; and law. Mr Carver is known as a bit of a storyteller, so will be backing up his theories with interesting anecdotes and historical examples.
3) Peter Bohan, Head of Organisational Health & Effectiveness, Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Emma Jones, Lawyer, Leigh Day
The Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust scandal and its subsequent investigation will have a wider impact on the NHS in the years to come. Emma Jones, a lawyer for Leigh day, worked on the case and will share her experiences to explore the repercussions of a failure in leadership. Peter Bohan, head of organisational health and effectiveness at the Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust will add some positivity to this session, however explaining how to change the organisational culture to improve performance for patients and staff in a complex healthcare environment.
4) Impacting safety culture and safety performance with safety leadership
Dr Dominic Cooper, CEO, B-Safe Management Solutions
The relationship between safety leadership and employee safety behaviour is not always an easy one. Using evidence and research showing the positive impact of both approaches, Dr Dominic Cooper will advocate the deliberate creation of a ‘safety partnership’. Dr. Cooper is both a business psychologist and a safety professional who has implemented behaviour-based processes internationally for over 20 years. He has written five books and over 150 articles on behavioural safety, safety culture change and safety leadership. He is an interesting speaker with lots of interesting insights into how people think.
5) Ian Smith, head of SHE, combat vehicles UK, BAE Systems
Danny Martland, director safety, health and environment, military air and information, BAE Systems
Another military themed-session, Ian Smith and Danny Martland will explain how they implemented cultural and behavioural change at BAE Systems within five-years, using interactive tools and constant engagement with the workforce. The programme has resulted in a reduction in accidents, incidents and cases of ill, health, with a positive impact on the business as a whole. This promises to be an interesting case study into the challenges and outcomes of implementing widespread behavioural change within a large organisation, with plenty of lessons to take away.
This year’s conference will feature over 80 high-level speakers and four themed tracks including a track of sessions dedicated exclusively to leadership: using effective leadership to build a safety culture across your workforce, developing leadership behaviours in complex or large organisations and the psychology of leadership
Secure your place online or call +44 (0)1462 499675. Save up to 12.5% on your registration if you book as a group of three or more.
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