“One of the tests of leadership is the ability to recognize a problem before it becomes an emergency.” Nowhere does Arnold H. Glasow’s statement hold truer than in EHSQ (Environment, Health, Safety, and Quality), particularly for high-risk industries where small hazards or non-conformities can quickly snowball into large-scale incidents.  

Building a strong safety culture is crucial, and success hinges on effective leadership. But what defines an effective safety leader? Let’s kick off our safety leadership series by going back to basics. 

Getting to the heart of safety leadership 

When we think of safety leaders, we often confine our thinking to those with job titles like EHS Specialist or Safety Manager. Truth is, anyone—shift managers, production managers, even frontline workers—can be a safety leader. It’s not about the title.  

A safety leader is someone who looks out for themselves and others, guiding, persuading, and setting an example to keep everyone safe. 

Positional or inspirational: Different approaches to safety leadership 

Dominic Cooper, in his article “Effective Safety Leadership: Understanding Types and Styles that Improve Safety Performance,” categorizes leadership into two main approaches. Positional leaders who use authority to instruct others and inspirational leaders who invite others to join them in achieving a clear, compelling safety vision.  

Within these categories, he identifies three distinct leadership styles: 

Transformational Leaders: 

Transformational leaders drive change by presenting a clear vision, mobilizing teams into action, and fostering a positive atmosphere. They rely on strategic plans, a can-do attitude, and positive reinforcement to propel safety initiatives forward. 

Transactional Leaders: 

Transactional leaders shape organizational culture through a reward and consequence system tied to performance expectations. Their focus on safety observations, addressing process inconsistencies, and supporting positive safety actions contributes to a robust safety environment. 

Servant Leaders: 

Servant leaders prioritize others’ needs, creating a supportive culture through personal connections, open communication, and coaching. This approach boosts employee engagement and overall team performance. 

Five traits of an effective leader 

Dominic Cooper emphasizes that none of these safety leadership styles are inherently good or bad, each has its merits. Yet, it’s undeniable that there exist both effective and ineffective leaders. This raises the critical questions: What distinguishes a leader as “bad,” and conversely, what attributes contribute to the effectiveness of a leader? 

According to a study conducted by West Monroe Partners, the majority of America’s managers have received no formal management training, with 42% of managers admitting that their own leadership style is copied from a previous manager. More worrying still, many managers report that they are too busy with administrative tasks to dedicate time to improve their leadership skills, or even adequately oversee their team. 

It’s little wonder that leadership can pose a challenge. So how can leaders improve their skills? 

Drawing from the American Management Association, effective leaders in any domain possess five essential attributes: 

1. From leader and manager to influencer, coach, facilitator, observer, innovator, and organizer, effective leaders wear many hats. 
2. To delegate, coach, and evaluate performance effective leaders consistently communicate clear, accurate, complete, and timely information. 
3. They have the confidence to delegate tasks and are clear in the amount of authority workers have to accomplish tasks. 
4. Through useful feedback they inspire their workforce, building credibility that enables them to influence long-term change. 
5. They nip poor performance in the bud through managerial techniques and their successful leadership style, encouraging the workforce to improve company operations and growth. 

The business case for safety leadership 

Effective safety leadership is not just about creating a safe environment for your team, it’s the key to business success. Beyond employee well-being, accident prevention minimizes the risk of legal liabilities and reduces downtime. And established safety protocols enable employees to work confidently, streamlining workflows, boosting productivity, and eliminating bottlenecks.  

How EHSQ software supports safety leadership 

As operational and safety excellence go hand in hand, effective safety leadership requires the creation and implementation of a holistic strategy. A strategy that not only fulfills regulatory obligations but also enhances operational efficiency, creating a workplace that is both safe and productive.  

That’s where EHSQ software comes into play. This software can be the technological backbone supporting safety initiatives, ensuring seamless communication, efficient delegation, and effective performance management.  

Up next in our leadership series 

Stay with our leadership series to take a closer look at the challenges facing safety leadership, how leaders can use EHSQ software to suit their leadership style, and how safety leadership can be the key to achieving operational success.