Foreword
I am honored that Fred and Judith asked me to write a foreword for their new book. I’ve known both of them for many years. Fred serves on Day & Zimmermann’s board of advisers, and Fred and Judith have helped change our culture to allow our people to feel “safe enough to soar.” As an introduction to my work life, since 1999, I have been chair and CEO of Day & Zimmermann, a century-old, family-owned company. Our workforce is over forty-three thousand strong.
At Day & Zimmermann, our number-one value is safety. We feel that we have a world-class safety culture in which people look after each other, point out safety hazards, and make sure they are fixed. We constantly ask, “Why not zero?”
Witnessing someone getting hurt gives us a sick feeling inside. We wonder about the individual’s recovery. We feel concern for his or her family and coworkers. We ask how we are going to prevent similar instances from happening in the future. We never want injuries to happen—we truly believe that all accidents are preventable.
So we ask, “Why not zero interaction issues?” We set the bar high. We believe it’s achievable, and the principles in Fred and Judith’s new book have equipped us with the tools to soar to success.
This book takes you through the four levels of interaction safety. Fred and Judith show the way to transform your workplace to make interaction safety a way of life. At Level Four, people are engaged through voicing their thoughts, challenging each other’s points of view, and building on each other’s ideas. The work-place at Level Four is a place where everyone feels valued and respected. Creating this trusting organization allows quicker decisions and implementations.
In competitive business landscapes, we win when we bring the best solution to our clients’ needs. In a workplace where everyone feels “safe enough to soar,” innovation will flourish.
Thank you, Fred and Judith, for sharing your ideas on interaction safety and creating a road map to guide people to be themselves and be their best.