How People, Purpose, and One Conversation Shifted My View of Safety Leadership
From manufacturing floors to leadership: how authentic influence shapes a culture of safety.
My career began where real work happens—in manufacturing plants, at the heartbeat of operations, where people move product, solve problems, and keep industries alive. Those environments shaped me long before I ever stepped into a leadership role. They taught me that safety is not a binder of rules; it’s a reflection of how people feel, how they’re led, and what they believe about the work they do.
This truth became even clearer when I had the opportunity to meet Manley Feinberg II, CSP, at the GOSH Conference. Listening to him speak—and later connecting with him one‑on‑one—reminded me why I fell in love with this field in the first place. His message about “vertical leadership” and the power of clarity, commitment, and connection struck a chord. It wasn’t just motivational; it was a mirror. It made me reflect on the people who shaped me, the environments that challenged me, and the responsibility leaders carry to influence behavior through trust, not fear.
That conversation inspired me to write this piece.
Because the deeper I go into my doctoral journey, the more I realize that the future of safety isn’t about more rules—it’s about understanding why people behave the way they do. My research and lived experience point to three interconnected truths:
Safety Leadership
Leadership sets the tone long before a policy ever does. In warehouses and manufacturing settings, people don’t respond to titles—they respond to consistency, presence, and authenticity. I’ve seen how a leader’s behavior can either build a culture of trust or create an environment where people feel unseen and unheard. Safety leadership is not about enforcement; it’s about influence.
Safety by Design
The best safety systems are the ones that make the right choice the easy choice. When processes, equipment, and workflows are designed with people in mind, behavior naturally aligns with safer outcomes. My time in operations taught me that workers don’t wake up wanting to take risks—they adapt to the systems they’re given. If we design better systems, we get better behaviors.
Safety by Choice
At the end of the day, safety is personal. It’s shaped by how people feel about their work, their team, and their leaders. When employees feel valued, supported, and respected, they choose safer actions because they believe their well-being matters. Safety by choice is not about compliance; it’s about connection.
These principles—leadership, design, and choice—form the foundation of my doctoral research and the lens through which I view every workplace I step into. They are also the reason I’m passionate about elevating the voices of the people who do the work: the forklift operators, line workers, technicians—the teams that show up every day deserve leaders who understand them.
Meeting Manley Feinberg reminded me that leadership is a climb, not a position. As I continue this next chapter in research and practice, I’m committed to climbing with intention—bringing others with me, learning from the people on the ground, and shaping a future where safety is not a mandate but a shared value.
The future of safety is human. And that’s precisely where it belongs.
