(38c) Developing Power, Influence and Leadership for Successful Process Safety Culture

It is widely recognized that the development of strong safety cultures has the single greatest impact on the reduction of organizational accidents, a perspective shared by chemical process safety professionals. This, along with findings following disasters such as the loss of space shuttle Columbia, suggests that a top priority for all senior leaders, managers, and supervisors in the chemical processing industry should be to positively influence the shared beliefs, practices, and attitudes prevalent in the workplace. This session will identify key issues associated with this need for influence and will provide actionable insight regarding how attendees can develop the power they need and the techniques required to catalyze their organization toward a committed, risk aware mindset rather than mere regulatory compliance. Topics will include elements of organizational culture, power, group decision-making, and leadership framing.