Lesson 1: Begin with a clear operational definition of the behavior you are evaluating. Develop your definition through group consensus-building among those involved in the process.
Safety leaders realize the importance of defining safe operating procedures and making sure everyone knows the definition. Government agencies such as OSHA develop safety standards, but that’s not enough. Top-down rules and regulations need to be defined to fit particular work situations. When employees participate in consensus-building exercises to customize safety standards, you maximize their understanding of safe work procedures — and
gain the group ownership and commitment needed to support the behavior required by the
standards.