What safety leadership skills are needed to motivate and engage employees?
Brian K. Grossguth, operations manager, Miyoshi America, will provide some best practices of employee engagement and motivation along with JoAnn Delao, HSE manager, Hunter Site Services at the 2017 Safety Leadership Conference.
In a Q&A with EHS Today, Grossguth tells readers what to expect during the discussion which is part of the Safety and Risk Management Track.
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EHS Today: Can you offer us a description of your presentation and how it relates to safety leadership?
Brian Grossguth: Leadership styles have such great impact on how employees, fellow managers, and the organization as a whole, look at safety and its culture within the organization.
EHS Today: Why is the topic of your presentation of interest to you and why is it important to SLC attendees?
Brian Grossguth: I feel that the emotional connection to the employees in an organization as far as culture and importance is not focused on enough. The “soft skills” are missing.
EHS Today: Please share an example of a personal or professional experience you’ve had related to safety leadership or the topic of your presentation.
Brian Grossguth: Where do I begin? It’s a daily occurrence. What has transformed me has been my emotional connection to each and every employee that I come into contact. Emotional Intelligence is key.
EHS Today: What are the takeaways you hope to leave with attendees?
Brian Grossguth: How Safety Leadership affects the following.
- How do they affect safety performance?
- How do they affect safety culture?
- How do they affect morale?
EHS Today: What do you think are some of the most pressing EHS and risk management issues facing corporate leaders and safety professionals in 2017 and beyond?
Brian Grossguth: The lack of fully understanding the demographics of today’s workforce and how proper leadership is instrumental in promoting a true safety culture.
EHS Today: How will this session help attendees be a better resource for their employees and company?
Brian Grossguth: I am hoping that this presentation hits home with the attendees emotional make-up. Safety Leadership is not just about making metrics. It is about the connection made with employees.
(EHS Today's 2017 Safety Leadership Conference and America’s Safest Companies Award Program will take place Sept. 11-13 in Atlanta, GA at the Hilton Atlanta. This event is designed to share best leadership, risk management, compliance and safety practices with EHS professionals hoping to achieve world-class safety at their companies. The conference features 28 sessions across four performance tracks; Safety & Risk Management, Compliance, Construction Safety and Safety Technology.)