Safety Moment - Get Caught Trying to Make It Better
Episode 881
PreAccident Investigation Podcast
Show Notes
In this episode, Todd Conklin shares a valuable piece of advice he received from his boss during challenging times. Despite facing criticism and negativity, Todd emphasizes the importance of perseverance and maintaining a positive attitude.
He recounts the lesson his boss imparted, which has become a guiding principle for him: "Get caught trying to make it better." Todd reflects on how this mindset has influenced his approach to leadership and personal growth.
Join Todd for this insightful safety moment as he encourages listeners to embrace challenges and strive to improve situations, even when faced with adversity. Remember to have fun, learn something new every day, and, above all, stay safe.
Show Transcript
WEBVTT00:00:00.017 --> 00:00:05.117
This can get hard. It can get really hard. I had someone write a pretty horrible
00:00:05.117 --> 00:00:12.657
thing on LinkedIn about safety differently and myself and Decker and the whole gang. It can get hard.
00:00:12.937 --> 00:00:20.417
But when it gets hard, that's when we prove who we are. We'll be right back.
00:00:18.320 --> 00:00:30.160
Music.
00:00:29.557 --> 00:00:32.537
Hi, everybody. Todd Conklin, Free Accident Investigation Safety Moment.
00:00:32.717 --> 00:00:34.097
I'm not in a bad mood. Don't get me wrong.
00:00:34.577 --> 00:00:37.857
Just trust me. You can write whatever you want to about me on LinkedIn because,
00:00:38.017 --> 00:00:39.297
first of all, I don't give a crap.
00:00:39.417 --> 00:00:42.377
And secondly, nobody reads LinkedIn. So I'm fine. So I'm not in a bad mood.
00:00:42.377 --> 00:00:48.057
But I want to sort of share with you something that my boss told me a long time ago.
00:00:48.297 --> 00:00:52.077
And I actually think this is a really good piece of advice. It's something I've
00:00:52.077 --> 00:00:53.937
remembered, and it's a really good safety moment.
00:00:54.317 --> 00:00:59.077
And my boss told me all the time when things got hard or complicated or complex
00:00:59.077 --> 00:01:04.417
or political or burdensome or irksome, that's a good word, irksome task and
00:01:04.417 --> 00:01:07.117
weighty responsibilities, a little code word right there.
00:01:07.117 --> 00:01:14.297
When things got tough my boss would look me in the face and say get caught trying to make it better.
00:01:15.117 --> 00:01:19.857
Get caught trying to make it better and i think about that all the time and
00:01:19.857 --> 00:01:24.417
and and when he told me that years ago it was probably a little bit wasted on
00:01:24.417 --> 00:01:27.617
me because i probably was completely freaked out and thought what did he know
00:01:27.617 --> 00:01:32.077
he's an old man hardly any you know i'm young and smart and genius.
00:01:32.657 --> 00:01:36.477
But now I realize as I grow older, because I am almost 30 now,
00:01:37.097 --> 00:01:42.277
that getting caught trying to make it better is exactly the way you want to get caught.
00:01:42.517 --> 00:01:47.697
If things go to crap, if it all goes down, if you're in 60 minutes or if they
00:01:47.697 --> 00:01:51.137
write an anonymous letter about you in the Washington Post,
00:01:51.637 --> 00:01:55.977
the best thing you want it to say, and maybe the worst thing it could say,
00:01:55.977 --> 00:01:58.697
is that they caught you trying to make it better.
00:01:59.177 --> 00:02:03.697
And that's my challenge to you, although that's kind of preaching to the choir,
00:02:04.377 --> 00:02:06.217
but it's really my challenge to your leadership.
00:02:06.217 --> 00:02:12.497
When they get frustrated and upset and concerned, instead of making it worse,
00:02:12.677 --> 00:02:17.997
harder, more difficult, more painful, what you ought to do is get caught trying to make it better.
00:02:18.597 --> 00:02:23.757
Get caught trying to make it better. It's kind of beautiful, isn't it? I think so.
00:02:24.237 --> 00:02:27.357
That's the safety moment for today. Have as much fun as you possibly can.
00:02:27.537 --> 00:02:31.497
Learn something new every single day. And for goodness sakes, be safe.
00:02:31.440 --> 00:02:42.007
Music.
Also Listen
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-
PAPod 621 - March 2015 - Safety Differently: Sidney Decker on Moving Beyond Blame
Dr. Todd Conklin interviews Dr. Sidney Decker about his work on safety, accounta
-
PAPod 620 - From Risk to Mission: Rethinking Safety at Golden Gate
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-
PAPod 619 - Normalization of Excellence: Turning Safety into Strength
In this episode, Todd explores the evolution of safety thinking—from blaming hum
Transcript
WEBVTT 00:00:00.017 --> 00:00:05.117 This can get hard. It can get really hard. I had someone write a pretty horrible 00:00:05.117 --> 00:00:12.657 thing on LinkedIn about safety differently and myself and Decker and the whole gang. It can get hard.
00:00:12.937 --> 00:00:20.417 But when it gets hard, that's when we prove who we are. We'll be right back. 00:00:18.320 --> 00:00:30.160 Music. 00:00:29.557 --> 00:00:32.537 Hi, everybody.
Todd Conklin, Free Accident Investigation Safety Moment. 00:00:32.717 --> 00:00:34.097 I'm not in a bad mood. Don't get me wrong. 00:00:34.577 --> 00:00:37.857 Just trust me.
You can write whatever you want to about me on LinkedIn because, 00:00:38.017 --> 00:00:39.297 first of all, I don't give a crap. 00:00:39.417 --> 00:00:42.377 And secondly, nobody reads LinkedIn. So I'm fine. So I'm not in a bad mood.
00:00:42.377 --> 00:00:48.057 But I want to sort of share with you something that my boss told me a long time ago. 00:00:48.297 --> 00:00:52.077 And I actually think this is a really good piece of advice. It's something I've 00:00:52.077 --> 00:00:53.937 remembered, and it's a really good safety moment. 00:00:54.317 --> 00:00:59.077 And my boss told me all the time when things got hard or complicated or complex 00:00:59.077 --> 00:01:04.417 or political or burdensome or irksome, that's a good word, irksome task and 00:01:04.417 --> 00:01:07.117 weighty responsibilities, a little code word right there.
00:01:07.117 --> 00:01:14.297 When things got tough my boss would look me in the face and say get caught trying to make it better. 00:01:15.117 --> 00:01:19.857 Get caught trying to make it better and i think about that all the time and 00:01:19.857 --> 00:01:24.417 and and when he told me that years ago it was probably a little bit wasted on 00:01:24.417 --> 00:01:27.617 me because i probably was completely freaked out and thought what did he know 00:01:27.617 --> 00:01:32.077 he's an old man hardly any you know i'm young and smart and genius. 00:01:32.657 --> 00:01:36.477 But now I realize as I grow older, because I am almost 30 now, 00:01:37.097 --> 00:01:42.277 that getting caught trying to make it better is exactly the way you want to get caught. 00:01:42.517 --> 00:01:47.697 If things go to crap, if it all goes down, if you're in 60 minutes or if they 00:01:47.697 --> 00:01:51.137 write an anonymous letter about you in the Washington Post, 00:01:51.637 --> 00:01:55.977 the best thing you want it to say, and maybe the worst thing it could say, 00:01:55.977 --> 00:01:58.697 is that they caught you trying to make it better.
00:01:59.177 --> 00:02:03.697 And that's my challenge to you, although that's kind of preaching to the choir, 00:02:04.377 --> 00:02:06.217 but it's really my challenge to your leadership. 00:02:06.217 --> 00:02:12.497 When they get frustrated and upset and concerned, instead of making it worse, 00:02:12.677 --> 00:02:17.997 harder, more difficult, more painful, what you ought to do is get caught trying to make it better. 00:02:18.597 --> 00:02:23.757 Get caught trying to make it better. It's kind of beautiful, isn't it?
I think so. 00:02:24.237 --> 00:02:27.357 That's the safety moment for today. Have as much fun as you possibly can. 00:02:27.537 --> 00:02:31.497 Learn something new every single day.
And for goodness sakes, be safe. 00:02:31.440 --> 00:02:42.007 Music.