Episode 104 digs into a distinction that separates reactive safety programs from truly high‑performing ones: the difference between tactical and strategic safety goals. Dr. Ayers explains why many organizations stay stuck in compliance mode and how safety leaders can shift their focus to long‑term, culture‑building work that actually reduces risk.
Tactical goals keep you busy. Strategic goals move the organization forward. World‑class safety performance requires both—but most teams are overloaded with tactical work and underinvested in strategy.
Tactical goals are short‑term, task‑focused, and operational. They include:
Completing inspections
Conducting toolbox talks
Closing corrective actions
Tracking PPE use
Responding to incidents
Managing compliance paperwork
These tasks are necessary, but they don’t fundamentally change culture or risk.
Strategic goals are long‑term, high‑impact, and culture‑shaping. Examples include:
Strengthening supervisor safety leadership
Improving hazard identification systems
Building a reporting culture
Reducing serious injury and fatality (SIF) potential
Enhancing worker engagement
Developing long‑term competency in frontline leaders
Strategic goals change how the organization thinks and behaves.
Dr. Ayers highlights several reasons:
Tactical work is visible and easy to measure
Leaders feel pressure to “check boxes”
Safety teams get pulled into daily operational noise
Strategic work requires time, planning, and leadership alignment
Tactical tasks feel productive, even when they don’t reduce risk
This creates a cycle where safety becomes reactive instead of proactive.
When safety leaders spend all their time on tactical tasks:
Supervisors stop owning safety
Safety becomes compliance policing
Long‑term improvements stall
Culture stagnates
High‑risk hazards remain unaddressed
Tactical work alone cannot produce meaningful safety performance.
Dr. Ayers offers practical guidance:
Protect time for strategic planning
Delegate routine tasks to supervisors
Align goals with organizational priorities
Measure leading indicators, not just lagging ones
Build systems that reduce recurring tactical workload
Communicate strategic goals clearly and consistently
Strategic work requires intentionality and leadership discipline.
Tactical goals keep the safety program running. Strategic goals transform the organization. Safety leaders must balance both—but the real breakthroughs happen when they carve out time for the strategic work that builds capability, strengthens culture, and reduces serious risk.
