The Most Expensive Way

My great grandfather used to joke that every time he trained a mule to plow without eating hay, the darned animal up and died on him.  A lot of organizations starve their safety efforts and still expect them to produce results.  There is nothing wrong with being frugal or financially conservative, but there is a point at which lack of funds or lack of support will actually be fatal.

Many leaders still think they can decide between a more expensive or a less expensive approach when, in reality, they are really choosing between success and starvation.  Safety efforts should be analyzed to find which are effective and which are not; but those that are successful and efficient should be adequately funded and supported.  Smart leaders realize that ultimately the most expensive way to do anything is the way that does not work.

-Terry L. Mathis

For more insights, visit www.ProActSafety.com

Terry L. Mathis is the founder and CEO of ProAct Safety, an international safety and performance excellence firm. He is known for his dynamic presentations in the fields of behavioral and cultural safety, leadership, and operational performance, and is a regular speaker at ASSE, NSC, and numerous company and industry conferences. EHS Today listed Terry as a Safety Guru in ‘The 50 People Who Most Influenced EHS in 2010, 2011 and 2012-2013. He has been a frequent contributor to industry magazines for over 15 years and is the coauthor of STEPS to Safety Culture Excellence, 2013, WILEY.