Shows
The Leadership LabLeadership Lab Episode 20 - Vicki GoulahAs an HR professional, Vicki has had an immensely diverse leadership journey. Join us to hear about Vicki's story and the lessons she has learned about leadership working in different industries and companies across Canada. 2025-05-0858 min
Safety Starts With MeBP Macondo Explosion and FireA deep dive into the findings from the BP Macondo Explosion and Fire from April 20, 2010.2025-05-061h 02The Leadership LabLeadership Lab Episode 19 - Adaptive LeadershipIn this episode of the Leadership Lab we dive into the concept of Adaptive Leadership. We explore what it is, why it matters and how it complements the other models of leadership that we have already discussed. In essence, where Situational Leadership adapts your leadership style to the person's needs at the moment, Adaptive Leadership adapts your style to the problem that you're facing.2025-04-1024 minSafety Starts With MeSSWM - BBS, HOP, or HROWelcome to SSWM podcast and where we dive into the most crucial aspects of safety, leadership, and operational preparedness. I’m your host, Brent Janke and today, we’re discussing some of the differences amongst BBS, HOP and HRO, but also how they can complement each other. Are these systems, tools, and approached mutually exclusive or can they be combined into a powerful system that works together like a well-oiled machine? That’s what we’re going to explore in this episode of SSWM. So let’s get ready and dive in.2025-04-0819 minThe Leadership LabLeadership Lab Episode 18 - Andrew BoutilierOn this episode of the Leadership Lab we sit down with leader Andrew Boutilier and discuss his thoughts about leadership, what's important, and his path to where he is today.2025-04-0358 minSafety Starts With MeSituational AwarenessIn this episode we explore Situational Awareness. We look at what it is and how it helps to prevent injuries, accidents, and ones involvement in incidents both on the job and off.2025-04-0218 minThe Leadership LabLeadership Lab Episode 17 - Transformational LeadershipThis episode digs into the fundamentals Transformational Leadership, the four components of it and why its changing and challenging leadership thinking today. 2025-03-2723 minSafety Starts With MeThe BP Texas City ExplosionOn the 20th Anniversary of the BP Texas City explosion that claimed 15 lives and refocused the oil and gas industry on the importance of Process Safety, we take a deep dive into the Final Investigation Report on the incident by the CSB. Critical sections of the final investigation report are reviewed and includes both the technical findings from the investigation and the cultural and leadership failings of the organization as well. 2025-03-251h 07The Leadership LabLeadership Lab Episode 16 - Servant EpisodeIn today's episode of the Leadership Lab we explore the concept of Servant Leadership. The concept was born in 1970, when a man named Robert K. Greenleaf—a management researcher who’d spent over 40 years at AT&T studying how organizations function—published an essay called The Servant as Leader. Greenleaf wrote, and I’ll quote him directly here, “The servant-leader is servant first… It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead.”2025-03-2024 minSafety Starts With MeThe Three "P's" of SafetyIn this episode we dive into the three "P's" of safety: Personal safety, Process Safety, and Psychological Safety and discuss how a focus on all three "P's" are needed to ensure that a safety culture is created within your organization.2025-03-1815 minThe Leadership LabLeadership Lab Episode 15 - Imposter SyndromeToday we explore Imposter Syndrome. We examine what it is, how it appears, and some simple tools to combat it. 2025-03-1310 minSafety Starts With MeCougar 491 Helicopter CrashIt was a cold morning on March 12, 2009. The sun had just begun to rise over the North Atlantic, casting a dull glow over the icy waters east of Newfoundland. The offshore oil fields of Hibernia and White Rose, bustling hubs of energy production, awaited their daily crew change. Eighteen men and women climbed aboard Cougar Flight 491, unaware that in less than an hour, their flight would become one of the most tragic aviation disasters in Canadian history.2025-03-1213 minThe Leadership LabLeadership Lab Episode 14 - Leadership as Your Craft - City of Saskatoon Keynote AddressA keynote presentation to the City of Saskatoon on the Leadership as Your Craft 2025-03-061h 06Safety Starts With MeOcean Ranger Marine DisasterIt was the evening of February 14, 1982, a night that began like many others on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland—cold, dark, and unforgiving. The Ocean Ranger, the world's largest semi-submersible drilling rig, stood sentinel over the icy waters of the North Atlantic, towering above the endless, restless sea. Its mission: to probe the depths of the Hibernia oil field, a promising frontier in offshore exploration. Built to withstand the ocean's wrath, the rig was believed to be unsinkable, a fortress of steel amidst nature's wild unpredictability.2025-02-1531 min
The Second Act PodcastBrent Janke - #150On this, our 150th episode, we are chatting with a gentleman who was a Senior Vice President at the company I worked at prior to starting the pod. If you had told me then that I would have an occasion to sit down and chop it up with Brent Janke, I wouldn’t have believed you. But, chop it up we did. We talk about his journey to the upper levels of management in the oil and gas industry, working all over the world to understand how people tick, regardless of race, creed or beliefs and what goes into le...2025-01-2758 minSafety Starts With MeBoeing 737 Max 8Today, we’re discussing The Boeing 737 Max 8 lessons learned — a sobering tale with powerful lessons for safety, leadership, regulatory oversight, and corporate integrity.
We'll dive into what happened, the root causes, and how this crisis reshaped the aviation industry and beyond. We'll also highlight similarities between this incident and other, well-researched incidents, where we'll see similarities of lessons learned.2025-01-0626 minSafety Starts With MeEP#13 - Emergency Preparedness and ResponseIn this episode, we’ll define what emergency preparedness and response entail, cover the fundamentals of implementing a successful plan, explore best practices, and examine real-world cases where the lack of preparedness led to tragic outcomes. So, whether you’re a safety manager, business leader, or just passionate about creating safer workplaces, stick around!"
And remember, a key idea associated with Emergency Management and Response is that people do not rise to the occasion during a crisis, but sink to the level of their training.2024-12-1618 minThe Leadership LabLeadership Lab Episode #13 - Psychological SafetyPsychological safety is the belief that one can speak up, share ideas, and take risks without fear of punishment, ridicule, or reprisal. It’s about feeling safe to bring your whole self to work without the anxiety of making mistakes or being judged. The term was popularized by Harvard Business School professor Dr. Amy Edmondson, who defined it as a “shared belief held by members of a team that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking.”
Essentially, in a psychologically safe environment, people feel comfortable asking questions, admitting errors, or suggesting new approaches. They don’t hold ba...2024-11-0619 minSafety Starts With MeEP#12 - Psychological SafetyPsychological safety is the belief that one can speak up, share ideas, and take risks without fear of punishment, ridicule, or reprisal. It’s about feeling safe to bring your whole self to work without the anxiety of making mistakes or being judged. The term was popularized by Harvard Business School professor Dr. Amy Edmondson, who defined it as a “shared belief held by members of a team that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking.”
Essentially, in a psychologically safe environment, people feel comfortable asking questions, admitting errors, or suggesting new approaches. They don’t hold ba...2024-11-0418 minThe Leadership LabCharacterToday we’re diving into one of the most foundational elements of great leadership—character. As a senior leader or an aspiring one, understanding the true meaning of character is essential. It’s more than a buzzword; it’s the bedrock upon which trust, influence, and sustainable success are built. In this episode, we’ll talk about what character is, why it’s so vital for leaders, and how understanding and developing it can transform the impact you have on your team and organization.2024-10-3049 minSafety Starts With MeLockout / Tag OutDuring this episode, we’ll explore what Lockout/Tagout is, why it’s important, the fundamentals of how to perform it properly, some best practices, and real-world examples of what can happen when this process is neglected. So, whether you’re a safety professional, manager, or just passionate about workplace safety, stay tuned!2024-10-2814 minThe Leadership LabThe Forgetting CurveThe Forgetting Curve is a concept developed by German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus in the late 19th century. It represents how information is lost over time when there is no attempt to retain it. Essentially, as soon as we learn something new, we begin to forget it. The speed at which we forget depends on various factors such as the complexity of the information, the relevance to us, and whether or not we revisit that knowledge.
Ebbinghaus discovered that memory retention declines exponentially over time—meaning that in the hours and days following new learning, without rei...2024-10-2321 minSafety Starts With MeJourney ManagementToday we’re going to dive into a topic that is crucial for keeping everyone safe on the road—whether you're commuting to work or transporting goods across long distances—it's called Journey Management.
And this is a perfect time to be thinking about Journey Management as the author of some of my favourite books is noted to say… “Winter is coming!”
Journey management might sound complex, but it’s essentially about planning and executing road journeys with safety at the forefront. We’ll break it down for you, covering its definition, why it...2024-10-2135 minThe Leadership LabCollaborationA discussion of a recent facilitation session that I did on collaboration, it's importance, and how to minimize confusion with decision-making models.
The big ideas are:
-Collaboration tend to provide better answers to the problems / challenges being faced.
-Collaboration is connected to organizational culture and a psychologically safe work environment
-Collaboration is method for working and is not a decision-making process
-Collaboration is a critical skill for leadership in the 21st century.2024-10-1750 minThe Leadership LabAuthentic LeadershipAuthenticity in leadership is a crucial attribute that has gained significant attention in recent years. Authentic leaders are perceived as genuine, transparent, and trustworthy, traits that are essential for fostering a positive and productive work environment. This article will delve into the concept of authenticity in leadership, its importance, and practical steps to cultivate authenticity in leadership roles.
Authenticity in leadership refers to being true to oneself while leading others. It involves aligning actions with personal values, being transparent about one's intentions, and maintaining integrity. Authentic leaders do not wear masks or adopt personas to fit certain...2024-06-2420 minSafety Starts With MeOperational ArroganceIt is a classic concept that hubris precedes the fall. Operational and technical arrogance—the idea that you and/or your organization is smarter than everyone else—is something that every leader needs to be constantly vigilant about. It is not only a signal of possible complacency, but it also runs counter to the process of learning from others and the self-awareness that every leader must foster about themselves, their team, and their business. This arrogance blinds leaders to signals—either obvious or more subtle—of impending concerns, risks, or issues that need their attention. Operational and technical arrogance still oc...2024-06-0325 minThe Leadership LabContinuous LearningIn an era defined by rapid technological advancements and constant change, the importance of continuous learning cannot be overstated, particularly for those in leadership roles. Leaders are tasked with steering their organizations through complex and often unpredictable landscapes. To do so effectively, they must not only remain adept at their core competencies but also stay abreast of new developments, innovative strategies, and emerging trends. Continuous learning enables leaders to enhance their knowledge, adapt to changes, inspire their teams, and ultimately drive sustained organizational success.
Leadership today is markedly different from what it was a few decades ago...2024-05-3013 minSafety Starts With MeShortcutsShortcuts, often seen as expedient routes to achieving goals with minimal effort, play a significant role in both everyday life and professional environments. While they can increase efficiency and save time, shortcuts can also pose substantial risks, particularly in safety-critical industries. In sectors such as construction, manufacturing, and healthcare, the temptation to bypass standard procedures to expedite tasks can lead to severe accidents, injuries, or even fatalities. The impact of these shortcuts on safety management is profound, necessitating robust strategies to mitigate associated risks.
The adverse effects of taking shortcuts in safety-sensitive contexts stem from the potential...2024-05-2825 minThe Leadership LabEthics and MoralsIf you ask a group of people to list the traits and characteristics they believe a good leader must possess, being a person of moral and ethical character always seems to be near the top. But what does ethical and moral character really mean? The prevalence of ethical and moral scandals in both government and the private sector highlights that this “standard” is more flexible and permeable than most people would prefer. This is partly why a growing number of organizations are implementing a code of conduct for their members that focuses on moral and ethical standards, and are prov...2024-05-2331 minSafety Starts With MeThe Watermelon EffectThe "watermelon effect" is a term used in safety management to describe a situation where the external appearance of an organization's safety performance looks green (or safe) while the internal reality is red (or unsafe). Just like a watermelon appears green on the outside but is red on the inside, some organizations may present a positive safety image externally but have significant underlying safety issues internally.2024-05-2009 minThe Leadership LabTrustTrust is the bedrock upon which relationships, both personal and professional, are built. At its core, trust is the belief in the reliability, integrity, and competence of another party. It is the confidence that one’s actions, decisions, and intentions align with stated values and commitments. Trust operates as a lubricant in the machinery of organizations, smoothing interactions, facilitating communication, and accelerating progress. When trust flourishes, individuals feel psychologically safe to take risks, express dissenting opinions, and collaborate openly, leading to enhanced creativity, productivity, and morale.2024-05-1615 minSafety Starts With MeBecoming a Learning OrganizationIn today's rapidly evolving industrial landscape, the concept of a learning organization stands as a beacon of adaptability and resilience. Rooted in the pioneering work of scholars like Peter Senge, the notion of a learning organization transcends mere operational efficiency; it embodies a cultural ethos committed to continuous improvement, innovation, and, crucially, safety.
At its core, a learning organization is characterized by its capacity to learn, adapt, and innovate in response to internal and external stimuli. Unlike traditional hierarchical structures, where knowledge flows from the top down, learning organizations foster a culture of open communication, collaboration, and...2024-05-1313 minThe Leadership LabFeedbackWinston Churchill once said; “I am always ready to learn although I do not always like being taught."
Feedback helps us to get closer to achieving our goals by providing insight and information as to where we currently are so that we can make changes to some aspect of the system or process to drive us towards to the desired result faster and more efficiently. Without feedback, we are simply making attempts hoping that the result will be close to what we want. Trial and error is never a fast or efficient way of getting the result we want...2024-05-1020 minSafety Starts With MePriming a Quality Safety ConversationAs we know, how we start a conversation inevitably dictates the quality and meaningfulness of the discussion and often, the outcome. This is especially true in a safety conversation. For example, if there is an undercurrent of fear, or blame, when having a post-incident review, the likelihood of getting quality lessons learned from the discussion is substantially decreased; and if the conversation is between a contractor and an operator this effect is even greater.
Being able to effectively start (or prime) a safety conversation is critical for how that conversation will go and the result achieved. This ep...2024-05-0911 minThe Leadership LabMaslow's Hierarchy of NeedsIn this episode of the Leadership Lab we explore the "missing" sixth level of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs; and it's a game-changer.
Late in Maslow's life, he realized that there was a sixth level missing from his pyramidal representation of the hierarchy of needs. Maslow realized that there was something beyond self-actualization that sits atop the original version of his hierarchy.
While the original five-level version of his model is still taught in colleges and universities today, by Maslow's own account, it is incomplete. In this episode we explore the missing sixth level... and it...2024-05-0317 minSafety Starts With MeRisk ToleranceReducing risk tolerance at work is a critical activity. In this episodes we'll explore the ten factors that influence risk tolerance and some strategies to mitigate them.2024-04-3025 minThe Leadership LabEpisode 3: Seneca and StoicismMost people misunderstand stoicism as the absence of feelings or emotions. This is absolutely incorrect. Stoicism is simply the decision to not allow your emotions to control you and your responses. In fact, Stoic techniques have been integrated into modern therapy and coaching to help individuals develop resilience and manage stress. By using these techniques, therapists can help individuals develop the skills they need to cope with the stresses of daily life and maintain their mental health.
Seneca's philosophical journey was deeply influenced by Stoicism, a school of thought that emphasized self-control, virtue, and resilience in the face o...2024-04-2415 minSafety Starts With MeEpisode 3: Dropped Object PreventionI know that you all understand the importance of preventing dropped objects and while I believe that the reporting of dropped objects has substantially improved – we are still having way too many dropped objects. I know everyone is familiar with the drops calculator that allows us to understand the potential impact that objects dropped from height may have on a person. The math is pretty simple – even “light” objects dropped from a significant height have the potential to seriously injure or kill someone. 2024-04-2204 minThe Leadership LabPeople-Centric LeadershipTo be a great leader, one must care about their role and the duty that it holds. A leader is fundamentally responsible for those that they lead. From their health and safety to their professional and personal development and the quality of the work products they create, a leader must be constantly focused on the people they serve. A great leader is more concerned about the service they can provide to those they are entrusted to lead than they are about what their subordinates can do to advance their own ambitions. It really is a matter of perspective about...2024-04-1719 minSafety Starts With MeThe Primacy of SupervisionThe primacy of supervision is something that too many people overlook or don’t even think about. For many organizations we do a disservice to our teams and our people by referring to everyone that has accountability and responsibility of supervising others only as “leaders.” And while this label is technically correct, the connotation of leadership as only being that charismatic speaker and focused primarily on the vision of the company still exists for many people. A leader is often defined as the person that looks beyond the tactical aspects of the day-to-day work and works at a strategic level. Howe...2024-04-1510 minSafety Starts With MeYoung WorkersAs the weather warms up and the winter semester is coming to a close, we are close to young workers hitting the streets and starting their summer jobs.
Young workers have a very different supervision and safety need than maybe some of our more experienced workers. And this is the first difference: typically our young workers do not have any experience or exposure to an industrial site, or even to work. This could be their very first work experience. And while they are uber enthusiastic and excited about joining the workforce they are often unawares of the dang...2024-04-1106 minThe Leadership LabLeadership Lab Episode 1 - Ownership and AccountabilityLeadership is fundamentally about one life influencing another. And the impact of this influence can be positive and robust when done from a position of noble intent or can be destructive if done from a malicious or self-serving perspective. The choice of which viewpoint informs your leadership is, of course, your choice.
Every organization is perfectly structured, perfectly organized, perfectly staffed, and perfectly led to obtain the results it is currently getting. Therefore, to get different results you have to change one of those things.
At the heart of leader...2024-04-0818 min