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The Power of Story Telling in a Safety First Culture

10/21/2014

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After finishing my presentation “What’s Your Safety Story?” at a recent safety conference, a participant came up and shared that his son had been deeply affected during a safety meeting at work by the tragic story of a young man, Clifton.

  “He was standing in front of his team, relaying Clifton’s story to them, when he was forced to just stop and walk away,” his father told me. “He asked the attendees at the safety meeting to continue reading because he could no longer force the words out of his mouth.”

His son, overcome with emotion, had tried to share Clifton’s story. It was a story told by the victim’s mother about her son Clifton’s struggle for life, and it conveyed the anguish and terror that filled her heart as she prayed for his survival. Seventy–five percent of Clifton’s body was traumatically burned by molten steel.

Clifton’s story, unfortunately, is one of the many tragic accidents that occur in industrial plants throughout the world. When these powerful stories are shared, they bring the storyteller and the listener into an intimate relationship in which they both experience the story as if it is their own. Everyone who was present at that safety meeting will forever remember that moment. They will remember the story and they will remember the storyteller, and most importantly it will change how they approach their work.

Sharing stories is an emotional and physical bonding experience that has helped humans navigate a dangerous world for thousands of years. To this day, stories are one of the most effective methods of teaching, learning, engaging, motivating, and inspiring people to change.  Stories form, transform, and help sustain all cultures, and they are the essence of a Safety First Culture.

I like to say that stories are what transform a house into a home. And they are what make an organization a community. Too many organizations are experts at just talking the talk (“Safety is our first priority!”); when you listen and look below the surface of these businesses, that’s when you hear the cynical stories among employees about how money rules everything.

These organizations are easy to identify because they are devoid of stories that genuinely demonstrate their espoused values. Organizations that walk their talk are consistently full of stories that convey how they walk and talk at the same time.

If you want your organization to be a Safety First Culture, start by crafting the story you want your employees to carry with them as they start and end each day.   As Ryan Matthews and Watts Wacker wrote in What’s Your Story?, “Long before the first formal business was established … the six most powerful words in any language were Let me tell you a story.”

For more information on how to create a story-rich Safety First Culture in your workplace, contact
Tom Wojick

twojick@verizon.net
401-525-0309


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Clifton's Story

10/21/2014

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  My son Clifton Wright, age 20 was in an accident at work today. Hot molten steel poured onto his body. He has burns on 75% of his body. He was airlifted to BAMC in SA. We are told he will be here 2-3 months with many surgeries, the first being Tues or Wed.

Just saw Clifton. He squeezed our hand when we talked to him.


Dr. Briefly stopped by. He said Clifton is off pressure drugs and holding his own on blood pressure. His kidneys are also functioning ok. Surgery will probably be Wednesday This is good news, my baby is a fighter.

Just saw Clifton he is looking better. Vitals look good as well.

Clifton is going into surgery. Possible bowel blockage. If it is and they can repair it will be done, if too much bowel is damaged unfortunately there is nothing else they can do for him.

PLEASE PRAY HARD.

Clifton accepted Christ as his personal savior sometime ago. Uncle Charles, deacon baptized him a few minutes ago

He is now on full life support! Please pray hard it’s minute by minute

The doctors have done everything. The next hours will tell if my baby will make it.

Clifton remained in the same condition last night. They are going to do surgery to check the bowels again.
This should give them answers.

Clifton is not doing well... He is now in surgery to have left/ maybe right also leg amputated. He is extremely high risk and we pray this will save his life. The doctors td us if we didn't he would only live 12-24 hours. PLEASE PRAY FOR MY BABY!!!!!!
Well my baby had his left leg amputated at the knee today. He is doing okay thus far. Tonight the team is going to try weaning him off some meds. The coloring looks good on his face. He needs to build his strength to get ready for next surgery.

Goodnight Suggie Woogie Boogie Bear! Mommy and Daddy are both sleeping in waiting room tonight. We love you!

Another day...... no matter what the day holds, my baby is here another day. Last night we actually slept at the hotel. Then I overslept, rushed to get to the hospital to see Clifton for the early morning visitation. He is still on life support. This morning he is stable enough to move to have a cat scan done. Please pray that we will get good news. I have to remind myself to take baby steps. Patience is not my virtue, so the Lord is teaching me what patience is! I love you Clifton Alexander Wright. Be strong today and fight like we know you can

It is with heavy heart to say my baby has left us!

I woke this morning with such a heavy heart. The reality is setting in. I can hear Clifton clearly saying "It's going to be ok mom", but I just cant see how!

We have to make arrangements that I don't want to make

Today we begin "the formal process" of saying goodbye. I am so torn. I want to get this over, but on the other hand, I do not want to face today.

Everywhere I look, I see his face smiling at me, sometimes in a picture but always in my mind and heart.

I know somehow, we will make it through today, as in our hearts, we know we will be reunited again. However, it doesn't make this much easier.

One week ago today, my baby woke me up and said "Happy Birthday Mom, I Love You!" What a great gift I was given to carry me through my life without him! Of course I told him I loved him too. Daddy told him as well.

I thank God that we have that. That morning we reminded each other of our love for one another. Little did we know that my baby would never come home again.

We have been so blessed with support from family, friends, co-workers of ours and Clifton's, our community and from complete strangers. I ask each of you to please continue to pray for us. Today and tomorrow are going to be so hard. I know we will see many of you in the coming days, and I might not have the strength then, so please let me tell you now, Thank you.

When Clifton was in high school he participated in the Shattered Dreams program. As part of that, George, Clifton and I had to write goodbye letters. We thought that was the hardest thing we had ever done. Last night, I had to write my goodbye letter, for real, to Clifton. I wish I could say it is the hardest thing I have ever done, but over this last week and in the days to come, I have done and will face worst.
Well, tonight I hope I can rest, as tomorrow is going to be a long day. The day we lay my baby to rest. I know it's just his body, as he is in heaven looking down on us.

Deep breath, deep breath, deep breath! I am as ready as I will ever be to face today.
No rain in months, but this evening after Clifton is laid to rest. Tears in Heaven???????

Tears of joy. Welcome home my son!!!

Early morning is the time I feel closest to Clifton. No interruptions, only peace and quite. Also, that is the time (before work) that he told me he loved me for the last time. I am so fortunate that he woke me up on that Sunday morning to tell me happy birthday and that he loved me. Then on Monday in the hospital, he squeezed my hand and opened his eyes only one time, but it was for Mommy. I just wanted to climb into bed and hold my baby. Over the years, our best conversations would be when he would climb into our bed just to talk. Some reason, Mom and Dad's bed was more comfortable. As he got older and would stay at home by himself, he would sleep in our bed when we were gone

The last week has been a roller coaster ride. We really thought Clifton would pull through; but for some reason that I will never understand, it was not in God's plan. This week has showed us that our baby grew into a man. A man that touched so many people. A man that was respected by everyone. A man that I am proud to have called my son!

So today, no I am not fine. But I do have a peace. Clifton was with us for 20 years and I know we will spend eternity together. It's this time period in between that will be difficult. I have peace of knowing that without a doubt, Clifton knew I loved him. Now that I look back, I would like to believe that when he opened his eyes that last time and squeezed my hand, that was my baby telling me goodbye in the only way he could under the circumstances.

I know I will never "get-over" Clifton. He was my only child, my miracle that I was entrusted with for 20 years, 1 month and two days. These years went by so fast.





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