We’ve all read self-help books that describe how to deal with difficult people and handle difficult situations in the workplace. In this article, I’d like to examine some of the more difficult people I’ve encountered during environmental, health, and safety (EHS) audits and discuss options for handling these folks. Type One: The Avoider Mantra:
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“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” — Ernest Hemingway I’ve always thought that two of the most interesting challenges in one’s career as an EHS professional might be (1) to write an article on effective writing and (2) to give a presentation on effective
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Numbers influence how companies are managed, and how we make investment decisions. Numbers are used to evaluate companies’ non-financial performance as well: air emissions; waste disposed of; materials recycled; energy consumption. What numbers are associated with DFCM? Do they [only] mark the path to this point, or do they offer insights into what lies ahead…
Placing the word “disclaimer” in an audit report sounds like an auditor might not be completely confident that the findings in the report are accurate or reliable. The auditee, upon seeing this word, may believe that they didn’t get their money’s worth if the auditor can’t stand behind his or her work. Nevertheless there are some limitations and conditions that auditors should be clear about when proposing to conduct an audit…
The prospect of your facility undergoing a compliance audit is unlikely to evoke excited anticipation. There are certain things we do – such as going to the dentist or conducting compliance audits – because they benefit us in the long term. Despite often being viewed with dread, an audit is a valuable tool in a
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On December 27, 2012 the EHS Journal published an article of mine entitled “Lessons Learned on International Assignments”. The feedback has been extremely positive, especially from young professionals who anticipate the eventual need to travel internationally during their careers. As a consequence I have racked my brain to come up with a few more experiences
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On July 11, 2010, an article was published in the EHS Journal titled “EHS Audits – Have We Lost Our Way?” That article was followed a year later by a sequel that explored the topic more fully. The articles elicited numerous thoughtful comments and a lot of general discussion. The premise of the original articles
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At the September 2012 Auditing Roundtable national meeting in Baltimore I heard Terri Morrison, author of Kiss, Bow or Shake Hands: The Bestselling Guide to Doing Business in More Than Sixty Countries (Adams Media, 2006) captivate the audience for two hours on the tricks and traps of working internationally. It made me reflect on my
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Environmental, health, and safety (EHS) audits are supposed to be a collaborative activity in which independent auditors team up with facility personnel to conduct an objective review of the facility’s programs and procedures. Things usually go as planned, but if you encounter any of the following warning signs, your auditor’s radar should be sounding, “
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Environmental, health, and safety (EHS) auditing can be a challenging profession. It is fraught with ethical and technical dilemmas, the need to stay technically and functionally competent, and the need to have interpersonal skills and attributes that only Moses possessed. For example, International Organization for Standardization (ISO) auditing guidelines require auditors to be ethical, open-minded,
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