Right now, a lot of attention is being focused on issues like intentional noncompliance and the lack of professionalism. Some of the biggest and most powerful regulators are very worried. The problem reaches across professional disciplines and cultures.
About a year ago, I heard Scott Griffith, one of the pioneers of just culture, talk about this problem. He talked about it as at-risk behavior. It is different from recklessness or negligence in that there is not always bad intent. It is more about the natural human tendency to test the limits. Everyone wants to take a shortcut, or work around a silly rule. Let’s be honest — it is universal. Who among us has ever gone a day without testing a speed limit?
That being said, in our business, noncompliance with standard operating procedures is not something we can take lightly. The rules are there for a reason, and pushing the limits too far can get people killed. People have to be held accountable, but dealing with this problem with a…
