An Executive Coach Gives Steps on How Your Team Can Own Their Responsibilities

Health and safety are pillars of most industrial workplaces; however, having a strategic plan to guide this vision often doesn’t exist or isn’t achievable. Discussing how to refocus and plan, Safety Justice League welcomed returning guest and executive coach Subena Colligan. Colligan, a formal industrial hygienist, has her own consulting and coaching company, S. Colligan Coaching and Consulting. She helps health and safety leaders to build strategies.

“Either you have a strategy and work toward it, or it’s a rat race. The key is to stop being so reactive and have more intentional actions,” Colligan explained.

While eliminating reactions isn’t possible because things will happen, the response to incidents should align with the plan. Colligan also cautioned that an unattainable plan results in failure. “If it’s to have zero injuries, it fails as soon as there is one.”

Developing a strategy means understanding a vision, determining resources to fill gaps, and commitment. Colligan said that employees having some ownership is important. “If people take action based on behavior to minimize injuries, it can lead to a worker advising of a current injury for a better outcome.”

“Either you have a strategy and work toward it, or it’s a rat race. The key is to stop being so reactive and have more intentional actions.” – Subena Colligan

Colligan also talked about the dynamic of near misses. “In strategic planning, it’s a premortem of looking ahead three years to consider if it fails, why would it? With a near miss, it’s learning what happened and contributed to this.”

Teams also need the right tools and resources to develop and execute a health and safety strategic plan. “Exeecutive coaching is, of course, helpful. There are also lots of books, courses, and groups to join relating to strategy,” Colligan said.

More Stories Like This:

Adjusting the Way We Approach an Injured Worker

What EHS Professionals Can Expect from Safety Connect

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

DXpedition
Icom Powers 3Y0K : Ham Radio’s Most Ambitious DXpedition to Remote Bouvet Island Part 1
July 11, 2025

Bouvet Island sits at the edge of the world. It is frozen, uninhabited, and almost impossible to access. Fewer people have set foot there than in space. That level of remoteness is exactly what makes it so valuable to amateur radio operators. The island ranks tenth on ClubLog’s list of Most Wanted DXCC entities,…

Read More
entrepreneurial success
The Hidden Key to Entrepreneurial Success: Build Momentum Through Personal Branding and Authentic Networking
July 10, 2025

What if the biggest pivot of your career started with a conversation?  In this episode of Professional Quotient, host Jason Winningham welcomes Fanny Dunagan, CEO and Content Strategist of PathLynks, LLC. Fanny shares her journey from high-pressure consulting in Singapore to founding her own media and branding company — and why learning to network…

Read More
Q2 2025
RM Q2 2025 Wrap Up
July 9, 2025

Rogue Marketing continues to lead with intention in a space often driven by noise. Q2 2025 reflected a strategic focus on substance, where each initiative supported long-term brand growth. The team transformed internal recognition efforts into enduring brand assets and refined event strategies through immersive, results-driven experiences. Website launches during the quarter balanced visual…

Read More
amateur radios
Hamvention Spotlight: Emergency Preparedness Led PrepHam Paul to Amateur Radios and a Rising Voice in the Field
July 9, 2025

PrepHam Paul (K5VLP) celebrated his first visit to Dayton Hamvention by marking a major channel milestone. He hosted a giveaway of the  IC-2370B mobile radio from Icom to thank viewers for helping him reach 10,000 subscribers. His passion for emergency preparedness, rooted in his experience as an Eagle Scout and later studies in emergency management,…

Read More