Drawing on insights from business leaders and contemporary educational theory, we propose that effective safety professionals require both technical expertise and sophisticated narrative capabilities. The findings suggest significant implications for safety education and professional development, challenging institutions to reconsider how they prepare safety practitioners for increasingly complex organizational environments. Rather than perpetuating false dichotomies between hard and soft skills, we argue for an educational approach that develops both technical and narrative capabilities in an integrated manner, particularly crucial for safety change management where success depends on both procedural competence and compelling storytelling.
Discussion Points:
Quotes:
“There are different skill categories, but they’re mostly about specific skills versus transferable skills.” - Drew
“One of the things that Griffith [University] was specifically set up for is based on the idea that education is important for social mobility.” - Drew
“A narrative in business is the communication of a business activity or idea…it’s the ability to tell your story or your direction.”- David
“if a business can convey some narrative or strategic vision about who they are and what they’re doing, they’re going to get much more useful work out of their employees.” - Drew
Resources:
Storycraft: the importance of narrative and narrative skills in business
