Kevin Nix

As leaders in safety, it’s important to recognize that humans are fallible and errors are to be expected. But errors do not always have to result in costly outcomes. They can be harnessed and used to improve systems and individuals for better performance. By gaining a deeper understanding and appreciation of human factors—influencers that cause people to behave the way they do—leaders are better equipped to create the climate needed to accomplish the outcomes the organization desires. And since human factors affect everyone, it is advantageous to view outcomes through a different lens. Kevin will share his personal journey to becoming a better leader in safety by understanding how influential human factors are on performance. During this highly interactive session, attendees will reflect upon their past performance, share where leadership mistakes led to undesired outcomes, and discuss what went wrong and why. Participants will discuss how the “herding approach” is used to achieve compliance, a strategy that is neither effective nor sustainable. Kevin will compare this approach to leading using a human factors approach, resulting in outcomes that benefit all stakeholders. Participants will learn what really moves the metrics—the people—and how a leader’s decisions can influence and impact outcomes for better or worse. They will also learn valuable methods to improve individual and team engagement, enhance employee satisfaction and team morale, improve retention, and identify leading indicators that help thwart the rise in undesired outcomes and move the organization towards operational excellence.