Leading and Learning Through Safety

Hosted by Dr. Mark A French

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214

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Aug 2026

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About the show

Do you want to engage your culture? Safety is the first step to creating the motivation needed for people to perform their best. Each day, we have the chance to lead our teams and learn more about our people through an understanding of our safety climate. Through looking at current issues in HSE, we chat about creating cultural value through safety. Your host is Dr. Mark French, CSP, SPHR aka The Safety Dude.

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August 21, 202620 min

Episode 212: What Should We Learn

What makes workplace training meaningful? It may have less to do with the presentation itself and more to do with what happens before the first slide appears. In this episode of Leading and Learning Through Safety , Dr. Mark French continues the discussion on learning design by exploring the Analysis phase of the ADDIE instructional design model. Drawing from interviews conducted as part of his doctoral dissertation, Mark examines how experienced safety trainers—often without formally calling it ADDIE—use analysis to understand their learners, identify knowledge and performance gaps, and make required training more relevant. The episode explores a simple but powerful question: Why are we conducting this training, and what needs to be different when it is over? Examples from safety trainers demonstrate the importance of understanding employees’ previous experience, existing knowledge, job responsibilities, and actual working conditions. Whether conducting forklift training, fall protection training, or another regulatory requirement, meaningful learning begins with knowing what employees already understand and where genuine gaps exist. Mark also connects Analysis to the concept of Gemba—going to where the work actually happens. By observing employees and talking with them in the field, trainers can compare “work as imagined” with “work as performed” and determine whether training is even the appropriate solution. The takeaway is straightforward: Before designing the training, understand the work. Before teaching the learner, understand the learner. Great training doesn’t begin with PowerPoint. It begins with curiosity.

August 14, 202620 min

Episode 211: Learning Motivation

Safety training can check every regulatory box and still fail to connect with the people who need it most. In this episode of Leading and Learning Through Safety , Dr. Mark French explores one of his longtime professional interests: how to transform required workplace training from a compliance exercise into meaningful learning that employees can actually apply. Drawing from a recent experience attending an eight-hour regulatory certification course, Mark examines why technically accurate training can still fall short. Stock images, regulation-heavy PowerPoint slides, and worst-case scenarios may communicate the rules, but they do not always reflect the reality employees experience in the field. When training and real work do not align, employees may begin questioning the credibility of the message and underestimate the risks around them. Mark introduces the ADDIE learning model—Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate—as a practical framework safety professionals and leaders can use to improve training. It begins by understanding the audience: Who are they? What do they already know? What knowledge or skills are missing? From there, instructors can design and develop training using relevant workplace examples, hands-on activities, discussion, and actual equipment rather than relying solely on generic materials. Finally, effective training requires evaluation. Did employees learn something useful? Can they demonstrate it in the workplace? Did the training actually address the problem? The lesson is simple but powerful: meaningful training starts with understanding who you are teaching and what they truly need to know.

July 31, 202620 min

Episode 210: Knowledge and Learning

This week on the Leading and Learning Through Safety podcast, Dr. Mark French examines two tragic workplace fatalities that highlight a common issue: the critical role of training, hazard recognition, and collaborative safety leadership. The first incident involves a 20-year-old worker who died after becoming engulfed in a grain bin. While grain bin hazards are well known, Dr. French emphasizes that familiarity can create overconfidence, especially among experienced workers. He discusses the importance of ensuring employees truly understand the risks rather than assuming prior knowledge and stresses the need for rescue equipment, emergency planning, and community outreach to equip both workers and local responders for these high-risk events. The second story focuses on a 24-year-old welder who was fatally injured when a sealed paint drum exploded as he used a plasma cutter to remove its lid. Dr. French explains that hot work safety extends beyond controlling sparks and surrounding combustibles—it also requires understanding what is inside a container before cutting or welding begins. He encourages organizations to incorporate collaborative hazard reviews, checklists, and questioning into their work planning so hidden dangers are identified before work starts. Throughout the episode, Dr. French reminds listeners that safety leadership is about creating an environment where people continuously learn, ask questions, and challenge assumptions. Effective training, teamwork, and thoughtful planning help organizations recognize high-energy hazards before they become tragedies. By working together and remaining curious, leaders can better protect their people and prevent similar incidents from occurring.

July 24, 202620 min

Episode 209: Ethical Voice

In this episode of the Leading and Learning Through Safety podcast, Dr. Mark French explores an often-overlooked leadership skill: ethical decision-making. Rather than focusing on major ethical failures, this discussion examines the small, everyday moments where leaders decide whether to speak up, look the other way, or take action. Drawing from a recent Journal of Applied Psychology article, Dr. French discusses the concept of "sharing as ethicizing" —the idea that discussing workplace ethical dilemmas with trusted family members or close confidants strengthens our willingness to act ethically at work. Those conversations help clarify our values, reinforce our sense of responsibility, and make it more likely that we will speak up when something doesn't feel right. Using personal experiences from his career in safety and human resources, Dr. French reflects on times when difficult conversations felt easier to avoid than confront. He explains how experience has taught him to replace simple "ignore it or discipline it" thinking with a more thoughtful leadership approach that balances consistency, influence, and accountability. The episode introduces two practical mental frameworks leaders can use whenever they face an ethical crossroads: "Would I be proud to tell this story to my family?" and "What would an exceptional leader do in this situation?" These simple questions help remove emotion from the moment and provide a clearer path toward doing the right thing. Whether you lead safety, HR, operations, or any team, this episode offers practical tools for strengthening ethical leadership one decision at a time.

July 3, 202620 min

Episode 208: The Dark Triad

In this episode of Leading and Learning Through Safety , Dr. Mark French explores the concept of the Dark Triad of personality—narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy—and examines how these destructive personality traits can undermine leadership effectiveness and workplace safety. Drawing from organizational psychology research, Dr. French explains that while these traits may occasionally produce short-term results, they ultimately erode trust, silence employees, and create environments where safety and ethical decision-making suffer. The episode begins with narcissism , highlighting leaders who believe they always know best, dismiss employee input, and quickly shift blame when problems arise. Dr. French emphasizes the importance of organizational accountability, consistent enforcement of policies, and creating cultures where mistakes become learning opportunities instead of opportunities for punishment. The discussion then turns to Machiavellianism , describing leaders driven by power and control who manipulate people, hide information, and may even compromise safety or ethics to achieve personal success. Dr. French stresses the need for meaningful performance metrics, transparent documentation, and leadership oversight to prevent manipulation and ensure that safety performance reflects reality rather than appearances. Finally, the episode addresses psychopathy , noting that while these individuals are less common, their reckless behavior and disregard for others make them particularly dangerous within organizations. Throughout the episode, Dr. French reinforces a central message: safety is a reflection of leadership. Leaders who genuinely value people create workplaces built on trust, accountability, and psychological safety, while toxic leadership ultimately puts both employees and organizational success at risk.

June 26, 202620 min

Episode 207: Empathy vs Ego

In this episode of Leading and Learning Through Safety , Dr. Mark French reflects on a recent verbal de-escalation training experience and shares key lessons that extend far beyond conflict management. The training focused on how workers who interact with the public can safely navigate tense situations, recognize potential dangers, and communicate in ways that reduce rather than increase conflict. One of the biggest takeaways was the importance of practice-based learning. Dr. French emphasizes that effective training is not simply about transferring knowledge through lectures—it must provide a safe environment where participants can ask questions, make mistakes, receive feedback, and build confidence through realistic scenarios. He highlights how hands-on learning creates deeper understanding and prepares people to apply skills in real-world situations. The episode then explores one of the most powerful concepts in verbal de-escalation: setting aside ego. Dr. French explains that many conflicts escalate because individuals become focused on being right rather than resolving the situation. Successful de-escalation requires empathy, active listening, and the ability to understand another person's perspective without immediately defending your own position. Using examples from construction and safety environments, he demonstrates how acknowledging frustrations, listening sincerely, and responding with empathy can help reduce tension and create safer outcomes. The discussion reinforces that leadership, safety, and effective communication are deeply connected. By replacing ego with empathy, leaders and frontline workers alike can build trust, reduce conflict, and create environments where people feel heard, respected, and ultimately safer.

May 29, 202620 min

Episode 206: Proper Protections

In this episode of the Leading and Learning Through Safety Podcast , Dr. Mark French examines two tragic workplace fatalities that highlight the critical importance of hazard recognition, machine guarding, emergency preparedness, and personal accountability in safety leadership. The first case involves a bakery employee who was fatally pinned between a malfunctioning conveyor and a stainless-steel collection tray. Dr. French explores how seemingly routine equipment issues can become normalized over time, leading workers to repeatedly perform unsafe tasks such as clearing jams without properly de-energizing equipment. He discusses the dangers of "normalization of deviance," where workers become comfortable with known hazards because they have successfully managed them in the past. The incident also raises important questions about machine guarding, lockout/tagout procedures, emergency stop systems, and how quickly organizations can respond when something goes wrong. The second story focuses on a golf course employee who lost his life after a mower overturned into a pond, trapping him beneath the equipment. Using his own experiences with lawn care and operating zero-turn mowers, Dr. French emphasizes that familiarity with a task does not eliminate risk. He highlights the importance of using rollover protection systems, respecting terrain limitations, and avoiding shortcuts that can lead to catastrophic outcomes. Throughout the episode, Dr. French reinforces a key leadership lesson: safety is demonstrated through consistent actions, not just policies. Whether in the workplace or at home, leaders set the example for others through the choices they make. By addressing hazards proactively, following established procedures, and modeling safe behaviors, leaders can protect both people and organizational performance.

May 22, 202620 min

Episiode 205: Visible Safety

In this episode of the Leading and Learning Through Safety podcast, host Dr. Mark French explores the nuances of organizational risk management and seasonal workplace dangers . Balancing Public vs. Employee Safety Dr. French begins by discussing two uncommon, nearly identical workplace fatalities occurring within the same week at typical lumber and home goods stores across the United States, where employees were crushed by unstable lumber stacks . He notes that while these stores present highly visible, strict safety protocols to the public—such as using flaggers and gating off active forklift areas—this standard does not always extend to employees . He suggests that large organizations often heavily focus on public safety and loss control to mitigate uncapped financial liabilities, while employee safety can be minimized because financial risks are legally capped by workers' compensation laws . This can create a false sense of security for workers who mistakenly believe a robust public safety program translates to their own protection . Summer Hazards and Distracted Driving The second half of the podcast addresses the inherent, heightened safety risks that arise during the summer, specifically for roadside construction workers . Dr. French emphasizes that despite company training, flashing lights, and protective trucks, workers are frequently injured or killed due to distracted driving and motorists blowing through work zones .

May 11, 202620 min

Episode 204: TN Safety Conference 2026

In this episode of Leading and Learning through Safety , Dr. Mark French reflects on his recent experience at the Tennessee Safety Conference in Nashville, a premiere event he has attended for numerous years. As a multi-time speaker, he emphasizes the high caliber of research and expertise shared at the conference, noting the value of learning from those who live these safety experiences daily. Leadership: Competence and Commitment The core of Dr. French’s talk centered on the leadership principle of "meeting people where they are" . He introduces a framework focused on two pillars: Competence: Defined by the APA as a repertoire of skills applied specifically to a task. Dr. French clarifies that having a general skill (like using a tool) does not automatically translate to competence in a specific setting or material. Commitment: An obligation or devotion to a task. This involves understanding not just how to do something, but feeling the obligation to perform it correctly despite shortcuts or differing standards. He argues that leaders should diagnose performance based on these two factors relative to a singular task rather than generalizing an employee's overall character. AI in Safety Dr. French also explores the emerging role of Artificial Intelligence in the field. While skeptical of AI as a total workforce replacement, he highlights a transformative tool he witnessed at the conference: an EHS management system that uses vocal transcription to create Job Safety Analyses (JSAs) on the fly. By recording a supervisor’s morning debrief, the AI can transcribe the conversation, identify specific hazards like electrical work or heights, and provide real-time policy advice and documentation, significantly reducing tedious paperwork while adding value to field safety.

March 13, 202620 min

Episode 203: Changing Behaviors

In this episode of the Leading and Learning Through Safety Podcast , Dr. Mark French explores how leaders can turn good intentions into real behavioral change in the workplace. Drawing on research from the December 2025 issue of the Consulting Psychology Journal , the discussion focuses on practical, evidence-based strategies for helping people move beyond simply understanding safety practices to actually applying them consistently. At the center of the conversation is the “Three E’s” model of behavioral change: Enlighten, Encourage, and Enable. Enlightening people is the first step—providing knowledge, awareness, and the rationale behind a policy or process. In safety, this often comes through training or communication about procedures and risks. However, information alone rarely leads to sustained behavior change. The real impact occurs when leaders move into the next two stages. Encouraging involves setting clear goals, building confidence, and motivating individuals to take action. Leaders help people understand what success looks like and support them in developing the skills needed to reach it. The final step, Enabling , focuses on making the desired behavior easier to perform. This includes providing tools, reinforcing progress, tracking outcomes, and creating opportunities for practice and social support. Together, encouragement and enablement form a reinforcing cycle that helps behaviors stick and evolve into long-term cultural change. Dr. French emphasizes that real transformation takes time and consistency, but even small actions can build momentum toward safer, stronger workplaces. Ultimately, the episode highlights a key leadership challenge: teaching is important—but driving action is what truly changes culture.