Changing the Ending: How a Growth Mindset Transforms Workplace Safety

Introduction

Workplace safety is not just about preventing accidents—it’s about shaping a culture where learning, improvement, and accountability are constant. The powerful words of C.S. Lewis remind us that while we cannot undo the past, we hold the ability—and responsibility—to change what happens next.

Every workplace, regardless of industry or history, carries its own story. Some stories are filled with close calls, injuries, or missed opportunities. Others show progress through proactive reporting, strong leadership, and evolving systems. But all have one thing in common: they cannot rewrite the past. What they can do is decide how the story ends.

This article explores how organisations can “start where they are” and create safer, more resilient workplaces. It blends lessons from psychology, leadership, human performance, and systems thinking into a roadmap for changing the ending.

1. Accepting the Past: Why Reflection Matters in Safety

1.1 The Illusion of Control Over History

Many organisations fall into the trap of blame. After an incident, investigations often focus on what should have been done differently. While learning from mistakes is essential, obsessing over what cannot be changed leads to frustration and fear.

The first step toward meaningful change is acceptance:

• Accept that incidents happened.

• Accept that systems were imperfect.

• Accept that people made the best choices they could with the information, conditions, and pressures they faced.

Acceptance is not complacency. It’s the foundation for improvement.

1.2 Learning from the Past, Not Living In It

Reflection is critical—but it must lead to learning, not punishment. Organisations that mature in safety learn to ask:

• What did we miss in our system that allowed this outcome?

• What pressures or conditions influenced behaviour?

• What do we need to do differently now?

This mindset transforms hindsight into foresight. By understanding the conditions that shaped yesterday’s outcomes, we design better systems for tomorrow.

2. Starting Where You Are: The Power of Now in Safety

2.1 The Present Is the Only Place of Change

Safety improvement begins in the present. The current culture, resources, leadership commitment, and worker engagement form the platform from which change is launched.

Instead of lamenting what wasn’t done in the past (e.g., “We should have implemented training earlier”), leaders can ask:

• What do we know today?

• What’s within our control right now?

• What’s one action we can take this week to make the workplace safer?

Small, consistent actions compound into transformation.

2.2 Conducting a “Safety Reality Check”

Before changing the ending, organisations must assess their current state. This includes:

• Incident Data Review – What trends exist? What are recurring patterns?

• Culture Assessment – How do workers feel about reporting? Is there trust?

• System Health Check – Are procedures practical? Are controls effective?

• Leadership Insight – Do leaders model safety values?

A clear-eyed view of “where we are” grounds improvement in reality, not wishful thinking.

3. Rewriting the Story: The Growth Mindset in Safety

3.1 From Compliance to Learning

Many workplaces operate under a compliance mindset—focused on meeting regulations, ticking boxes, and avoiding fines. While compliance is necessary, it’s not sufficient for excellence.

A growth mindset, as described by psychologist Carol Dweck, emphasises learning, adaptation, and improvement. Applied to safety, it shifts focus from “avoiding failure” to “building capability.”

Key characteristics of a growth-mindset safety culture:

• Mistakes are learning opportunities.

• Feedback is welcomed, not feared.

• Continuous improvement is a shared responsibility.

• Leaders ask questions instead of assigning blame.

3.2 Psychological Safety: The Bedrock of Change

Psychological safety—the belief that it’s safe to speak up—allows workers to report hazards, near misses, and concerns without fear of punishment.

Without it, even the best systems fail, because silence hides risk.

To build psychological safety:

• Leaders must respond constructively to reports.

• Recognition must be given for speaking up.

• Investigations must focus on learning, not fault.

Changing the ending requires creating an environment where truth is spoken, heard, and acted upon.

4. Human Factors: Understanding Why People Do What They Do

4.1 People Don’t Fail—Systems Do

Most incidents stem not from carelessness, but from predictable human factors: fatigue, cognitive overload, time pressure, unclear procedures, or conflicting priorities.

Understanding human performance helps organisations move from “who is at fault?” to “what conditions influenced this behaviour?”

4.2 The Role of Priming and Cognitive Bias

As the original prompt suggests, priming—subtle cues or pressures—can lead workers to rush, skip steps, or take shortcuts. Phrases like:

“As soon as you’re done, I need you over there,” “We’re already behind schedule,” “Just get it done today,” create unintentional pressure that shapes decisions.

Recognising priming allows supervisors to manage language and expectations more carefully.

4.3 Designing Work for Real Humans

To support human performance:

• Simplify procedures.

• Design for error tolerance.

• Provide adequate rest and resources.

• Encourage pre-job risk assessments that consider human limitations.

By acknowledging human factors, we build systems that are resilient—not reliant on perfection.

5. Leadership: The Authors of the New Ending

5.1 The Role of Leaders in Changing Culture

Leaders set the tone. Their words, actions, and decisions define what matters.

A leader who says safety is a priority but rewards productivity over safe behaviour sends mixed messages. A leader who pauses a job due to unsafe conditions sends a clear signal: Safety first is not a slogan—it’s a standard.

5.2 From Command to Coaching

Modern safety leadership moves beyond issuing instructions. It focuses on coaching—asking questions, listening deeply, and developing understanding.

Coaching conversations might include:

• “What’s making this task difficult?”

• “Where do you see the biggest risks?”

• “What support do you need to do this safely?”

These questions empower workers to own safety, not just comply with it.

5.3 Accountability and Ownership

Changing the ending requires shared accountability:

• Leaders: set expectations, provide resources, model behaviour.

• Supervisors: communicate clearly, reinforce priorities,and manage pressures.

• Workers: speak up, follow procedures, look out for each other.

When everyone sees safety as “my job,” not “someone else’s,” transformation begins.

6. Systems Thinking: Building a Framework That Learns

6.1 ICAM and Learning from Incidents

Tools like ICAM (Incident Cause Analysis Method) help identify root causes beyond immediate actions. They focus on Organisational Factors, Defences, Task Conditions, and Human Actions, allowing learning to drive systemic improvement.

Each investigation is an opportunity to write a better future chapter.

6.2 Continuous Improvement Loops

Safety is never “done.” It evolves through ongoing cycles:

1. Identify risks and incidents.

2. Investigate with a learning mindset.

3. Develop and implement corrective actions.

4. Review effectiveness and adjust.

A learning organisation doesn’t seek to be perfect—it seeks to be better every day.

7. Changing Behaviour Through Engagement

7.1 The Power of Involvement

Workers are more likely to follow safety processes they helped create. Involving them in risk assessments, toolbox talks, and improvement planning fosters ownership.

7.2 Recognition and Reinforcement

Positive reinforcement—acknowledging safe behaviours—shapes culture faster than punishment. Celebrate:

• Reporting of near misses.

• Innovative safety ideas.

• Peer-to-peer support.

Safety becomes not just a rule, but a shared value.

8. Turning Lessons into Action

8.1 From Reports to Real Change

Too often, incident reports gather dust. Real change happens when recommendations are:

• Specific

• Resourced

• Assigned

• Monitored

Every recommendation should be tested against the question:

“Will this meaningfully reduce risk and prevent recurrence?”

8.2 Building Resilience

A resilient organisation can adapt, absorb shocks, and continue learning. It has:

• Diverse perspectives in decision-making.

• Strong communication channels.

• A culture that anticipates and responds, not just reacts.

Resilience changes the ending from reactive firefighting to proactive foresight.

9. The Emotional Side of Safety

9.1 Healing After Incidents

After serious incidents, teams often carry guilt, grief, or fear. Leaders must create space for emotional recovery—acknowledging pain, providing support, and fostering hope.

Healing is part of changing the ending.

9.2 Rebuilding Trust

When trust is damaged—by blame, silence, or inaction—it must be rebuilt through consistent transparency and follow-through.

Workers must see that their voices matter and that lessons lead to visible improvement.

10. A Checklist for Changing the Ending

Here’s a practical Safety Culture Renewal Checklist:

✅ Reflect on the Past

• Conduct learning reviews of major incidents.

• Identify systemic contributors, not just human errors.

✅ Assess the Present

• Run culture surveys and safety climate assessments.

• Review current risk controls and incident trends.

✅ Set Intentions for the Future

• Define a clear vision: “What story do we want to tell five years from now?”

• Communicate purpose and direction.

✅ Engage the Workforce

• Create safety champions.

• Hold open forums for ideas and feedback.

✅ Build Psychological Safety

• Encourage speaking up.

• Recognise and reward reporting.

✅ Lead with Authenticity

• Model safe behaviours daily.

• Pause work when unsafe—no exceptions.

✅ Embed Learning Systems

• Use ICAM or similar tools for investigations.

• Track recommendations and verify effectiveness.

✅ Invest in Training and Coaching

• Train leaders in human factors and coaching.

• Build capability, not just compliance.

✅ Review and Adapt

• Conduct regular safety strategy reviews.

• Adjust based on feedback and emerging risks.

✅ Celebrate Progress

• Share success stories.

• Reinforce the belief that change is possible.

11. Case Study Example (Fictional)

Company: Horizon Engineering 

Challenge: Repeated near misses involving dropped tools at height. 

Past Response: Blame workers, retrain, and issue warnings. 

Result: Continued incidents; low morale.

New Approach (Start Where You Are):

1. Leadership reflected—realised pressure to meet deadlines caused shortcuts.

2. Introduced pre-task planning sessions.

3. Involved workers in redesigning tool tethering systems.

4. Recognised teams for proactive hazard reporting.

5. Shifted language from “Don’t drop tools” to “Let’s design work to prevent drops.”

Outcome: 12 months without dropped-tool incidents. Trust improved. Workers began suggesting other safety innovations.

Lesson: When leaders change their mindset, the story changes.

12. The End Is Still Being Written

Safety is not a destination—it’s a journey. Every decision, every conversation, every investigation adds a sentence to the story.

You can’t go back and erase past incidents, but you can start today with:

• Courage to face reality,

• Commitment to improvement,

• Compassion for people,

• Curiosity to learn,

• And consistency in action.

The ending isn’t written yet. It’s shaped by what we choose to do now.

Conclusion

C.S. Lewis’s wisdom reminds us that while the past is fixed, the future is fluid. In workplace safety, this truth is both humbling and empowering.

We can’t change the incidents that happened yesterday, but we can change the systems, culture, and behaviours that define tomorrow. By reflecting honestly, engaging deeply, and leading boldly, organisations can turn past pain into future progress.

The question isn’t whether you’ve made mistakes—it’s whether you’ll use them to write a better ending.

Start where you are. Change the ending. Make safety the legacy you leave behind.