Reflections... CBS
Last October 2019 was a first for APM. We were invited to the table to sit with GE Chairman Larry Culp, alongside GE Gas Power leadership, to present a vision and strategy for renewing the safety culture at GE. To kick off the meeting, I was asked to present the safety moment, which was a highlight of a safety workout in September between GE-FC-APM & Entergy, one of our customers, hosted at the APM LDC. The tagline for the safety moment was “Safety culture is a powerful opportunity to build infinite customer relationships.” As I closed the moment, I quoted our friend Bob Veazie, who once taught me “Culture is built on meaningful conversations.”
Some of you knew Bob, our CBS mentor who first introduced us to CBS in the spring/summer of 2016. For the next 4 years Bob guided us on our CBS journey, helping us understand the philosophy and also digging deep into our culture. He weaved his way through our business, engaging at all levels, even interviewing many superintendents at times to give us a reality check on our safety culture. And he guided me through some of our darker times and our brighter times. All along, Bob made a difference through meaningful conversations with people.
Bob passed away earlier this year. Yet his legacy lives on in the lives of many. (You can read more about Bob here.)
And his legacy continues here at APM.
Why CBS?
Bob would say safety is not common sense, it is not luck; rather safety is intense risk management. He would remind us that our biology and psychology lead us to be efficient, to take short cuts (remember the lazy brain and the lizard brain). He would challenge us with the difference between an intention and a commitment; the great difference of saying “no one will ever get injured” and taking the action each and every day to ensure that no one is injured. Thus to deliver safety, to deliver all home safe 100%, safety must be an intense focus. And the vehicle to deliver that focus is CBS.
How we do CBS?
The mechanics of CBS should be well known, whether being in a field environment or an office environment. The CBS mechanics are important. The mechanics are part of our daily standard work (see poster attached). We expect everyone to be living CBS.
What CBS really is?
One of the last challenges Bob left us was to move the CBS commitment curve. At the end of 2019 our CBS journey had created Awareness: Most in APM were aware of the basic scope and concepts of CBS. Our goal for 2020 is to move CBS into Positive Perception: All of APM understand how CBS impacts and benefits everyone. I am convinced CBS has benefits for all of us, and has made a big impact on our APM culture. Why do I say that?
There are many benefits to CBS beyond our improved safety performance.
CBS is a tool that helps us …
Connect by reminding everyone why we are so focused on safety.
Lead by example through sharing our commitments and reflections.
Reinforce good behaviors by acknowledging other’s successes.
Coach by listening to other’s commitments and asking good questions.
As we close, I want to return to the idea of meaningful conversations. For me, the most valuable piece of CBS has not been simply the improved safety performance. Rather, what I cherish the most in CBS is the meaningful conversations. I have learned more about each of you over the past 4 years through our CBS conversations – What is important to you, at work and at home. What you are celebrating as success. What is challenging you and how we can help. I am convinced that CBS has enabled that learning, and those meaningful conversations have brought us closer together. We are a stronger team because we are invested in each other – your success is my success, and vice versa. And when we are invested in each other’s success, we do great things.
So as we head into a heavy fall outage season, in a world of uncertainty, I ask you join me in a renewed vigor for CBS. Remember our Why. Live the How – the mechanics. Embrace the What – the meaningful conversations that bring us closer together and help us win together.
—Jake