AUGUST 2017 • FOGHORN 23 WORK BOATS. THAT WORK. MAVRIKMARINE.COM | 360.296.4051 Unsurpassed quality and attention to detail. Specializing in aluminum and steel new construction, refit & repair. BUSINESSMATTERS L ong ago, I visited Disney with my management team and was surprised that safety was their first core value. That seemed out of line for a company with such a rigorous branding discipline. Then, they explained that early in the company’s history they had guest fatalities on roller coasters and had to change. Their most fundamental obligation was to have to their guests and crew come home in the same shape they had arrived, except hopefully with smiles and some pleasant memories. This rev- elation speaks to the importance and challenge of ensuring safety on the water. Without a doubt, the darkest days in this business happen when you have an accident. It can consume you for months, cloud your judgment and provoke an amazing amount of self- doubt. And it truly hurts not just your company, but also families and other organizations on the water. In the past, I wrote about “when bad things happen to good people,” or concepts for when a bad day happens to our good companies. These articles have touched on the following lessons learned and guidelines that have shaped my responses in tough times: • The truth has an amazing ability to come out. • Cover-ups will kill you. • Don’t let the lawyers drive the bus. • Don’t run away from the media and always be respectful. • Establish a meeting cadence. • Take care of your people. I’d add an asterisk to this list, with the observation that today you could probably write chapters about the im- portance of managing social media post-accident. The reality is that our companies are excellent on the timeline right of the splash. Indeed, that’s when we show our best colors of teamwork, empathy, problem-solving creativity, and speed. But our organizations need to apply that same excellence to the safety issue “left of splash;” that is, before the incident ever takes place. Focusing on left-of-the-splash is clearly hard work, ambiguous and very hard to tell if you are on the right path. Many organizations profess to have a “safety first” orientation. In reality, there are few that can truly measure “Left of Splash” By Bob Shaw