The Art of Safety Leadership: Navigating the intersection of safety, law, and business reality with Aaron Guilfoyle
In this episode of "The Art of Safety Leadership," we sit down with Aaron Guilfoyle former Work Health and Safety Prosecutor and current legal expert, who provides an insider's view into industrial manslaughter prosecutions and the legal realities facing safety leaders today. Aaron brings a unique 20+ year perspective, having prosecuted hundreds of serious safety incidents including the landmark Dreamworld case, before transitioning to advise businesses on the other side of the courtroom. His insights reveal the stark realities of how industrial manslaughter laws are being applied across Australia and what business leaders need to know to protect themselves and their organizations. Key topics include: The rapid spread of industrial manslaughter laws across all Australian jurisdictions His outtakes and key learnings from the Dreamworld tragedy and the factors that led to a $3.6 million fine The critical difference between "paper safety" and actual workplace practices Officer due diligence: what it really means beyond the legal jargon Red flags that should concern boards and executives about their safety performance Practical steps for crisis management when incidents occur This episode offers essential insights for CEOs, board directors, and senior safety professionals who need to understand the legal landscape they're operating in. Aaron's dual perspective - from prosecutor to business advisor - provides invaluable guidance on navigating the intersection of safety, law, and business reality. Whether you're looking to strengthen your organization's safety culture or understand your legal obligations as a leader, this conversation offers critical knowledge that could protect both lives and livelihoods.
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1:27:21
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1:27:21
The Art of Safety Leadership: Preparing to Lead - Self-Awareness in Safety Leadership with Anna Keen and Liam Simpson
In this insightful episode of "The Art of Safety Leadership," we explore the critical foundation of effective leadership: self-awareness. Featuring leadership coach Anna Keen, who has spent 20 years developing safety professionals, and Liam Simpson, Head of Health, Safety & Wellbeing at Wilson James, this conversation dives deep into what it really means to lead yourself before leading others. Anna shares her journey from recruitment to leadership coaching, revealing the development gap she discovered in safety professionals who excel technically but struggle with the non-technical aspects of leadership. Liam brings his military background and practical experience leading safety teams across a 5,000-person organization. Key topics include: The "sticky middle" challenge where technical experts transition to leadership roles Why vulnerability is a strength, not a weakness, in safety leadership The trust equation and how to build meaningful relationships at work Practical exercises for developing self-awareness and emotional intelligence How to recognize when you're "turning up" versus truly "showing up" The importance of reflection and feedback in leadership development Whether you're a safety professional stepping into leadership or an experienced leader looking to deepen your self-awareness, this episode offers practical tools and honest insights about the inner work required to lead effectively.
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1:08:05
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1:08:05
The Art of Safety Leadership: Translating safety language into business language with Crystal Danbury
In this thought-provoking episode of "The Art of Safety Leadership," we sit down with Crystal Danbury, a seasoned safety professional with 21 years of experience across industries including nuclear, rail, logistics, telecoms, and retail. Crystal shares her journey from an accidental safety technician at a nuclear site to leadership roles at FTSE 100 companies, revealing how she learned to translate safety priorities into business language that resonates with executives and boards. Key topics include: Developing the "True Cost of Harm" approach that quantifies safety impacts in commercial terms Practical strategies for simplifying safety metrics to engage leadership How to build compelling business cases for safety investments The critical connection between safety management and insurance costs Challenging the "you can't put a price on safety" mindset that holds safety professionals back Whether you're a safety professional looking to gain more influence in your organisation or a business leader seeking to better understand the commercial value of effective safety management, this episode offers invaluable insights on how to drive meaningful change through better communication.
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1:09:36
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1:09:36
The Art of Safety Leadership: Stakeholder Influencing with Oliver Sanandres
In this next episode of "The Art of Safety Leadership," we sit down with Oliver Sanandres to explore how safety professionals can effectively influence stakeholders and transform safety culture within organisations. Oli shares his journey from accidental safety professional to strategic leader, drawing on experiences from Westminster Council to Auckland Council and beyond. Learn how he shifted organisational focus from compliance to care through innovative approaches like replacing traditional reports with video walkarounds and connecting safety outcomes to business objectives. Key topics include: Building trust as the foundation for influence Transforming safety narrative from compliance to care Practical techniques for engaging executives and middle management The importance of self-awareness and vulnerability in safety leadership Making safety relevant to business strategy and performance Whether you're a safety professional looking to gain more influence or an executive wanting to better understand safety's role in organizational success, this episode offers valuable insights on creating positive safety cultures where people can "fail safely" and learn from mistakes.
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1:06:45
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1:06:45
The art and role of communication in proactive safety cultures
Ever felt like you could leverage storytelling more to build influence and drive cultural change? You're not alone. The art of storytelling is a skill of many parts, and it can often feel daunting to navigate. For the first episode of The Art of Safety Leadership podcast, we talked to world-renowned journalist Jehan Casinader and EHS Director in Global Operations at PepsiCo Daniel McGuigan on the role and power of storytelling! 🎙️ In this episode, we talk about the art of communication and the pivotal role in creating a proactive culture of safety. Listen in as they share:Cultural change through storytellingLeadership and vulnerabilityFour key elements in compelling storytellingShifting the dominant narrativeLeading with relatable messagesPractical examples they've used
To truly achieve the highest levels of proactive safety culture, we have to go beyond the technical competencies of health & safety management, to engage in the skills of leadership, innovation, change management, data and debate. The role of The Art of Leadership podcast is to delve deep into the challenges and opportunities that face leaders in the safety profession to keep lifting the bar beyond a reactive culture of safety compliance. Join us as we talk to safety leaders and leadership experts to share their expertise, insights and wisdom.
New Zealand