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People Are The Solution... What Now? | Applying Human & Organizational Performance (HOP)
- The HOP Nerd
- 6 days ago
- 5 min read
Tired of just talking about Human & Organizational Performance concepts and ready to actually do something? This series delivers concrete actions to operationalize HOP in real life...
So, If you've ever asked "Okay, I get the theory... What Now?", tune in as Sam guides you through the real steps where HOP meets reality.
On Today's episode, Sam asks: People Are The Solution... What Now?
We've laid some HOP groundwork, but now we're diving deeper into the mindset often called 'Safety Differently' or the 'New View'. We're starting with a foundational idea that People are not the problem to manage; people are the solution.
Think about that. Traditionally, safety and operations often focused on controlling variability, managing people as if they were the unpredictable, problematic part of the system. When things went wrong, the first question was often implicitly or explicitly about who messed up.
This idea flips the script. It recognizes that your frontline people possess the ingenuity, skills, and adaptability that create success and safety day-in, day-out. They navigate complex systems, bridge procedural gaps, handle unexpected variations, and make things work, often despite flaws in the system design, tools, or conditions. They aren't the problem to be contained; they are the vital resource, the experts in their work, the solution to operational challenges.
So, if we truly believe people are the solution, how do we act on it? How do we move beyond the slogan and leverage this incredible human capacity?
Here’s your action guide:
"What Now?" Action 1: Mine for Success in Normal Work
Idea: We spend massive effort dissecting failures but often ignore the vast majority of work that goes right, especially complex tasks performed successfully under normal conditions. Understanding how success actually happens routinely is key to replicating and reinforcing it.
Action: Implement structured "Work Insight" sessions focused on normal, successful work. This isn't an audit or an investigation; it's genuine curiosity. Use tools that support this effort like:
"What Now?" Action 2: Empower Frontline-Driven Solution Design
Idea: Move beyond just asking for suggestions. Empower the people who do the work to actively design the solutions - along with micro experimenting, tweaking, tuning solutions - to the problems they understand best.
Action: When tackling an operational issue or process improvement, ensure it's led by or heavily composed of those nearest to the work. Give them:
Clear Scope: Define the problem.
Time & Resources: Allocate dedicated time and support.
Autonomy: Let them analyze, brainstorm, experiment, and propose the fix.
Support, Not Dictation: Management's role is to enable and remove barriers. This leverages true expertise and builds ownership, leading to more practical and sustainable solutions.
"What Now?" Action 3: Re-tool Your Learning Reviews/Investigations
Idea: Even when things go wrong, applying "People are the Solution" means focusing first on the context that influenced actions, not on the individual. People's actions make sense to them in the moment; understand how things made sense.
Action: Modify your event learning/investigation protocol. Institute a ground rule that sounds like: We must thoroughly explore the contextual factors before analyzing individual actions. Ask about:
Goal Conflicts (e.g., speed vs. safety)
Tools & Equipment (availability, usability)
Procedures (accuracy, clarity, conflicts)
Operational Pressures (time, staffing, environment)
Organizational Factors (training, history, decisions) This forces a shift from blame towards understanding systemic influences and identifying meaningful system improvements.
And so, so much more...
"What Now?" Action 4: Actively Capture and Share Adaptive Practices
Idea: Procedures can't cover everything. People constantly adapt successfully. Instead of viewing deviation only negatively, learn from the positive adaptations where expertise bridged a gap or handled unforeseen circumstances effectively.
Action: Create channels to capture and share successful adaptations. Ask in debriefs or meetings:
"Did anything unexpected happen, and how did you handle it successfully?"
"Did you need to adjust the plan/procedure for a good reason? What was it, and why did it work?" Use simple tools (forms, boards, meeting agendas) to flag these. Vet them (safe? applicable?), document them, and share valuable adaptations as learning points or potential procedure updates. Celebrate this ingenuity.
"What Now?" Action 5: Implement Transparent Follow-Up on Frontline Input
Idea: People stop offering solutions (ideas, concerns, hazard IDs) if their input disappears into a black hole. Building trust requires demonstrating that input is heard, considered, and acted upon (or explained why not).
Action: Establish a clear, visible, and credible system for follow-up on all frontline input. This needs:
Defined Channels: How/where to submit input.
Clear Ownership: Who reviews and tracks it.
Timely Acknowledgement: Confirmation of receipt.
Transparent Tracking: Visible status (e.g., on a board or accessible list).
Feedback Loop: Always communicate the outcome – "Yes, and here's the action," "No, and here's why," or "Still under review." Responsiveness fuels the willingness of your solutions (your people!) to keep contributing.
Seeing people as problems leads to control-based strategies that often stifle expertise. Seeing people as solutions opens the door to leveraging their adaptability, knowledge, and ingenuity. These actions aren't just tweaks; they represent a fundamental shift towards trusting and enabling the incredible human capacity within your organization. Start treating your people like the solutions they truly are.
Need a hand navigating your Human & Organizational Performance journey and putting these principles into practice? GET IN TOUCH!
Get in touch with Sam Goodman
+1 480-521-5893
Sam Goodman is the founder and independent Human and Organizational Performance practitioner of The HOP Nerd LLC. He is the creator of Starting Points Operationally Curious Questions, a simple and easy way to begin pre-event learning. He has also authored multiple books focused on Human & Organizational Performance, the safety of work, and the safety profession, such as "Aren't You Curious? The Operationally Curious Leader," "10 Ideas to Make Safety Suck Less," Safety Sucks," and more. Sam is also the host and producer of The HOP Nerd Podcast. He is an experienced safety and HOP practitioner, accomplished author, passionate speaker, and respected consultant and coach.
Sam brings extensive, hands-on HOP experience from a wide array of sectors, including commercial nuclear generation, utilities, construction, manufacturing, energy, healthcare, and transportation. He has partnered with numerous organizations, guiding them in the practical application and integration of HOP methods. His impact is demonstrated through initiatives like the 'Starting Points' card deck, which alone has reached hundreds of organizations, deploying thousands upon thousands of decks to facilitate learning. Whether you're just starting or looking to deepen your HOP implementation, Sam possesses the flexibility, passion, and expertise to guide your organization's journey.
Sam offers the flexibility, passion, and know-how to help your organization begin, or go further on its HOP journey.
Keywords: Human & Organizational Performance, HOP, Safety Differently, New View, People are the Solution, Work Insights, Learning from Normal Work, Frontline Expertise, Solution Teams, Worker Empowerment, Incident Investigation, Learning Reviews, Context, System Thinking, Adaptive Practices, Positive Deviance, Psychological Safety, Feedback Loop, HOP Actions, HOP Principles, Operational Curiosity
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