Graduates of the Month - December 2020

Hear the inspirational stories taken from the Reflective Journals of our two delegates of the month for December 2020 - Ellis Baker & Neild Waring

Ellis Baker CMIOSH

Owner & Lead Consultant - Resilient Risk Ltd

There are better ways of setting our goals in safety and we should consider moving away from SMART targets. Performance excellence can be achieved quickly and be more sustainable by applying Process Goals and Outcome Goals. 

As a leader or a manager, how will you use this?

This lesson resonated with me following my injury, discharge from the military & long road to being pain free. The doctor told me I’d never run again & probably walk a bit funny.  Being pain free was a dream goal & in the confusion of being discharged & the need to survive, this was a very distant dream.  

After a long time of putting my pain free dream in the hands of pain killers (& listening to the doctor’s advice) I’d become less strong physically & mentally.  I began to miss being strong & realised how much I missed exercise & how important it was-so I began walking around the block-for 2 years, then I ran part of the way, then I ran all of the way.

I then ran a half marathon, I swam a mile, a sprint triathlon.  Then I set a huge goal-to finish an Ironman within the 17 hour cut off.  I did the Ironman & fell in love with the sport, I then challenged myself to do 10 before I was 50.  My knees gave out at number 7 so I switched to 70.3/half ironman racing to accommodate the pain & I finished the last one/number 10 in 2019.  

The last one was great, I did the whole event but the organisers opened it up to relay teams & I started & swam with our son, I rode the cycle with our son-in-law & I finished the half marathon with our eldest daughter.  Everyone was at the finish line & it was just perfect.  

Small goals, small changes over a long time are super powerful. If you are going to listen to the voices inside your head-at least make them positive ones.

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Neild Waring CMIOSH, FIQ

Safety Manager at Banner Contracts Ltd

I thought the course was excellent. Very thought provoking. I look forward to putting my learnings into practice in 2021.

I especially enjoyed learning about PCDEs (Psychological Characteristics of Developing Excellence) and could certainly relate to how they have related to some of my achievements.

One of the most important characteristics is the ability to visualise achieving the level of performance that you are aiming for or the end goal. 

I have used this myself in relation to ultra-running. Prior to a run, I must have been to the where the event is finishing to allow me to visualise myself crossing the finish line.

This has helped massively in relation to the self determination required during an event whenever I might hit an emotional/physical low during the event.

There’s also a huge need for commitment to the training schedule and then there must be a self-belief inside you that tells you that you can achieve something.

So intrinsic motivation, self talk and self determination theory are also at play here.

These characteristics have also helped me in my professional life as a safety professional in the aggregate and mining industry.

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Linda Barrett

Partner Development Director BSST

Linda selects our graduates of the month by analysing the results of each delegate’s tests as they progress through the course.

The winners are selected based on their final test result and their personal KISS Statements contained within their Reflective Journals.

What’s the prize?

Well, in the spirit of SDT and the power of autonomy, we give the winner a choice of either a FREE online course (worth £235), nominating a friend or colleague for a FREE online course with us or FREE access to one of our future online courses that are currently in development.