Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
8.8 SUMMARY
Our mirror system in the brain helps us to understand and copy behav-
ior of others. It aligns people. On a one-to-one basis, mirroring can be a
strong motive in spreading safe behavior. Only known safety behavior
will be mirrored from others. Good models can teach safe behavior just
by demonstrating it. Fake behavior or words without acts are not cop-
ied. A team can be seen as a collection of mirroring relationships among
all the members. Ten members lead to 45 different relationships. Team
members mutually influence each other simultaneously via these rela-
tionships. This creates an enormous stabilizing power that results in
team behavior or team culture. Cultural change means that all these
connections have to change, and they also have to change at the same
moment. If only a few relationships change, they will be pulled back by
the other unchanged ones. The impact is that changes only can go
slowly and step by step. Too strong a team can create an atmosphere in
which rules are denied collectively and trespassing of safety rules
become possible. Change of team behavior can only be accomplished
by attracting challengers for this change. First, the most independent
innovators are used to create a sense of direction. Next, the early adop-
ters embrace the new behavior and spread it over the team.
TIPS FOR TRANSFER
Tip 1: Organizing a Team or Department Project on Safety
Enhancement
If a safety project is going to be launched in the whole organization, a
first step is identifying the innovators and the early majority. For each
100 employees, select the top three innovators and the (proximally)
13 early adopters.
First, discuss the new approach with the innovators. They have a
good sense for newness and can give feedback on whether this
approach fits to the needs of the employees and the organization.
Next invite the early adopters and ask them if they want to play a
role in the implementation of the new safety approach. Train them as
a group so that they identify themselves with the project.
Once they have actually acquired some of the new safety behavior,
they are sent to explain it to their own teams. They can and need to
