Editor's Note: Motivating the motivators

This month, Safety+Health introduces a new column.

Prompted by S+H publisher Suzanne Powills, who challenged me to add a motivational component to the magazine, I pondered what I know about the safety professional’s responsibility to motivate employees to work safely. After more thought and some research, I came to a decision: That’s not what the new column would be about.

A lot of information about motivating workers is available. What’s lacking is advice to motivate you – the safety pro – to maintain your enthusiasm for, and dedication to, your job. Comments that S+H has received through surveys and letters indicate that many of you – particularly if you’re a one-person safety department or part of a small team – sometimes feel frustrated, overwhelmed, underappreciated or demoralized. This new column, “All About You,” aims to motivate and inspire you to perform at your best.

To accomplish this, we’ve partnered with noted speaker, author and coach Richard Hawk. An in-demand presenter at safety conferences and corporations, Richard’s messages come from an important perspective: that of a seasoned safety professional. As he points out in his introduction this month, Richard has been in your shoes, and this gives him unique credibility when he speaks about how to stay energized in, as he puts it, “a field that presents unique challenges.”

As a bonus, Richard will record a podcast based on each month’s column. After you’ve read the article, please listen to the audio file at the bottom of the page or subscribe to the podcast. I’d love to hear what you think.

The opinions expressed in “Editor’s Note” do not necessarily reflect those of the National Safety Council or affiliated local Chapters.