Make Right Feel Normal

Every time that I do a school safety assessment, it’s guaranteed that someone will do something they never do on any other day. Unlock a door. Let someone in without permission. Just completely ignore a safety protocol.

And every time, I feel bad for the person because you just know that the last thing they wanted to do was to make a safety mistake in front of the guy who’s doing the safety assessment.

I always try to reassure them.
I get it. It’s not good, but it happens.

The truth is that a mistake is far better than a mindset. 

Mistakes should be addressed early and named clearly. If you wait until it becomes someone’s belief you’ll have a much harder road ahead because a wrong mindset is an anchor.

Correct mistakes, but don't linger.
Everyone is already nodding their heads like, "Yeah, that shouldn't have happened." Give some grace and move on.

If it’s a wrong mindset, address it head on.
It's going to take longer and require more effort to fix because now you’re working against a belief that feels normal and normal gets repeated.

That's really when you safety soars.
Your staff is happier and your job becomes easier. 

Set the bar high, but keep it simple.
Build routines people can actually follow. And when someone messes up (because they will), give grace. A lot of it and not because you're a pushover, but because you know that people are the prize and real change takes time. 

You're chasing an outcome and not a gotcha moment.

Build a culture where doing the right thing every time feels normal and good and your mistakes will start to shrink. Mindsets will shift. And suddenly, your safety gaps are less, your school runs smoother, your people lead themselves, and you're not chasing problems anymore. 

You're leading real progress.