PreAccident Investigation Podcast
The Pre Accident Podcast is an ongoing discussion of Human Performance, Systems Safety, & Safety Culture.
Episodes
PAPod 619 - Normalization of Excellence: Turning Safety into Strength
In this episode, Todd explores the evolution of safety thinking—from blaming human error to creating systems that support reliable work. He discusses the normalization of deviance versus a deliberate shift toward a normalization of excellence, learning teams, and practical examples of redesigning work to prevent repeats of incidents.
Through conversations about AI-created interviews, Southwest Air
PAPod 618 - Poop In...Louder Poop Out?
This episode explores the promises and pitfalls of AI in safety work, centered on the book The AI Paradox in Safety by Brent Sutton and Brent Robinson. Todd and Brent discuss how AI can either amplify blame and surveillance or enable learning and improvement, and why organizational culture shapes which path wins.
Topics include surveillance concerns (Flock cameras, wearables), AI amplifying existi
PAPod 617 - Rome Wasn't Built at 8 a.m.: The Case Against Immediate Improvement
This episode argues that meaningful improvement rarely happens overnight. Big-bang rollouts and sudden change cause chaos, bugs, and unintended consequences, while slow, incremental implementations let organizations prototype, find hidden flaws, build buy-in, and protect core operations.
The host reflects on a difficult personal week and reminds listeners that steady, small steps — passo y paso —
PAPod 616 - OSHA’s New Playbook: From Enforcement to Partnership
In this episode Todd Conklin talks with David Keeling, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, about OSHA’s shift toward partnership, refreshing VPP, the new Safety Champions program, and focusing on serious injuries and fatalities (SIF).
They discuss mental health, vehicle safety, leadership’s role, predictive analytics, and incentives to drive abatement and innovation so
PAPod 615 - Leaders First: Why Safety Starts at the Top
Todd joins James Newman and Ken Madsen on a special excerpt from the Counter-Errorism podcast to discuss productive safety, leadership change, and how investigations should inform solutions rather than impose them.
They cover practical ideas: shifting leaders' thinking, treating workers as problem-solvers, using judgments of need, and how DOE-style investigations differ from industry practices.
PAPod 614 - Accountability Labs: Learning to Have Each Other’s Back
Todd Conklin hosts Jen Long on the Pre-Accident Investigation Podcast to introduce "accountability labs": practical, small-group exercises that help teams practice having each other’s back instead of weaponizing blame.
The episode explains how labs create psychological safety and readiness through real scenarios, skill-building, and debriefs so participants develop the language and muscle memory t
PAPod 613 - Don't Shoot the Dog: A Song for Safer Workplaces
Host Todd talks with safety professional and singer-songwriter Toni Vere about human and organizational performance (HOP), accountability, and the power of fixing systems instead of blaming people.
Toni performs "Don't Shoot the Dog," a song that turns shop‑floor experience and worker expertise into a memorable lesson on creating safer, smarter workplaces.
PAPod 612 - Speak Up or Stay Silent: Amy Edmondson on Psychological Safety
Host Todd Conklin chats with Harvard’s Amy Edmondson about psychological safety, learning from failure, and how leaders can create workplaces where people speak up and learn. They cover just culture, systems thinking, and practical steps to choose curiosity over certainty.
This warm, wide-ranging conversation blends research with real-world stories and leaves listeners with a clear call to action:
PAPod 611 - Command–Adapt Paradox: Rethinking Safety for a Riskier World - David Woods - PART TWO
Part two of a deep conversation with Professor David Woods examines five decades of safety practice and argues for a stronger science base, foresight, and continual revitalization. Topics include the Command–Adapt Paradox, the fluency law, the law of stretch systems, and the novelty inequality, showing why plans must be paired with guided adaptability.
The episode urges putting safe and effective
PAPod 610 - Rock the Boat: Reimagining Safety Science with Dr. David Woods PART ONE
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-45055-6_8#:~:text=The%20Command%E2%80%93Adapt%20Paradox%20arises,%E2%80%9D%E2%80%94being%20poised%20to%20adapt.
Todd hosts Dr. David Woods in a two-part episode challenging the current state of safety science, arguing for more synthesis across disciplines and a shift from one-off fixes to ongoing capacity for safe, effective, and viable organizat
PAPod 609 - Ra Donda Brings Us Up to Speed on Her Effort to Change the World
Join Ra Donda Vought and Todd Conklin and they meet up to discuss how Ra Donda has refined her message to the world and how surprised she is in other, non-medical industry. It is always so much fun to talk with Ra Donda - she has great energy and is so much fun to spend time in discussion.
See what you think - I think you will enjoy this Pod a bunch.
PAPod 608 - Modern Safety: How Children's Hospitals Are Rewriting the Rules
Join Todd and Dr. Anne Lynne from the CHOL conference as they explore “modern safety” in children’s hospitals and the SPS mission — how new lenses on risk, leadership behaviors, and a willingness to try small experiments are reshaping safety, reliability, and improvement work.
They discuss practical examples like reducing unplanned extubations, the role of leaders in creating capacity and permissi
PAPod 607 - Croquet Mallets & Outlaws: My Family’s Bonnie and Clyde Encounter
Host Todd interviews his mother, Gyla Conklin, who recounts a true 1933 encounter when her father, Bill Brock, and friends were held up by Bonnie and Clyde near Meade, Kansas. The episode highlights a dramatic rescue at a park, a croquet mallet that saved the day, and a family newspaper account.
Short, vivid, and personal, this episode underscores why recording family stories matters and offers a
PAPod 606 - At the Cusp: How Leadership, Compassion and Worker Voice Are Rewriting Safety
Todd Conklin talks with Rob Fisher about how leadership, workforce shifts and compassion are reshaping safety and reliability. They explore why organizations must move from fixing problems to improving systems, and how worker engagement becomes the key source of learning.
The episode covers practical approaches—small experiments, better leader conversations, and data from observations (TEDS)—that
PAPod 605 - When a Meeting Becomes an Emergency: Restoring the Room
This episode recounts a medical emergency that occurred during a large conference and explains how a quick critical incident stress debrief helped restore the group and the organization.
Todd outlines a simple restoration framework—who's hurt, what they need, and who will help—and walks through a seven-step debrief process that turns trauma into learning, supports people emotionally, and improves
PAPod 604 - On the Edge: Risks, Resilience, and Red Bull’s Adventure Athlete
Host Todd Conklin interviews Red Bull athlete Will Gadd about adventure sports, recent tragic incidents (a parachute crash in Butler, Mo., a Moab base-jump, and a bungee failure), and how the outdoor world approaches risk.
The episode explores the difference between being robust and being resilient, the limits of individual skill, and how controls, recoverability, and community learning can reduce
PAPod 603 - Procedures: The Double-Edged Sword of Safety
In this episode Todd Conklin explores the paradox of procedures: they keep work stable but also limit flexibility. He explains how procedures can be both necessary and constraining in high-risk, high-consequence environments.
Todd highlights the value of incremental safety—making small, thoughtful changes over time—while building communities of practice to better prepare organizations for an uncer
PAPod 602 - From Brazil with Safety: Gilval and the New View Revolution
Todd Conklin talks with Gilval Menezes about Brazil’s growing movement to adopt the New View of safety: translating resources into Portuguese, building community, publishing a field guide, and running learning teams to shift culture away from blame.
They discuss practical work on HOP implementation, the cultural challenges of translation, the urgency driven by workplace fatality rates, and the pus
PAPod 601 - Rethinking Safety: AI, Pre-Jobs, and the Power of Listening
Todd chats with Ron Gantt about the future of safety — from AI-driven pre-task tools to the limits of rote checklists — and why listening to frontline workers matters more than ever. They explore leadership’s role in shaping responses to incidents, bridging power gaps with contractors, and designing systems that actually support real work.
Through examples from healthcare to construction and candi
PAPod 600 - The Future of Safety: Learning Teams, Storytelling, and Not-Knowing
In this part two conversation, Todd Conklin and Bob Edwards explore what the future holds for operational learning and safety. They discuss learning teams, storytelling, the power of curiosity and not-knowing, and how the people closest to the work provide the best solutions.
The episode highlights successes from pediatric patient safety, the Navy, and industry examples, and emphasizes cultural sh
PAPod 599 - Learn Like Bob: How Pediatric Teams Saved 30,000 Babies
Todd Conklin and Bob Edwards discuss Solutions for Patient Safety (SPS), a grassroots movement of learning teams that used operational learning to dramatically reduce harm in pediatric care.
The episode covers emotional stories from the SPS meetings, practical methods like soak time and learning teams, the power of continuous improvement, and the real-world impact of saving thousands of young live
PAPod 598 - What If Risk Never Leaves? Exploring Transportable Hazards
In this episode, Todd Conklin questions whether risk can ever truly be removed or if it simply moves around. He distinguishes between hazards and risk, discusses how organizations shift risk through contracting and worker practices, and argues that while hazards can be managed, risk remains dynamic and persistent. Todd also highlights the role of controls, barriers, and margin in starting work saf
PAPod 597 - From the way, way, way, way, back machine...Pain as a Predictor: Martha Acosta on Finding the Signals Before Failure
Todd Conklin interviews Martha Acosta, a pioneer in human performance and instructional design, about using organizational "pain points" and paradoxes as early indicators of system failures. They discuss why near misses and workplace frustrations are valuable signals and how leaders can turn those tensions into opportunities for learning and improvement.
The episode offers practical advice for man
PAPod 596 - Incremental Safety Practices: Reductive vs. Inductive Safety
Todd Conklin reviews Erik Hollnagel’s new book "Incremental Safety Practices" and explains the core idea that safety efforts fall into two approaches: reductive (removing hazards) and inductive (building resilient systems). He urges listeners to view safety as an ongoing capacity managed in everyday work rather than a static goal achieved after eliminating risks.
The episode invites organizations
PAPod 595 - Beyond Checklists: How Conversations Transform Safety Culture
Host Todd Conklin talks with Daniel Hummerdahl about his new book, An Invitation to Safety Conversation, exploring how everyday safety talks can move beyond scripted checklists to become learning moments that bridge leaders and workers.
The episode shares practical stories and techniques for asking better questions, listening more, and scaling conversational practices across organizations to impro
PAPod 594 - Bridging Cultures: Safety, Migrant Workers, and the Heart of Agribusiness
Coming into this episode, Todd Conklin welcomes Al Thomson to discuss safety in the primary sector, focusing on migrant Pacific workers and a human-centered approach. Al shares how Monarch Platform blends pastoral care, cultural understanding, and contemporary safety (HOP) to support a diverse workforce across New Zealand’s agriculture and horticulture industries.
The conversation covers cultural
PAPod 593 - Young Voices, System Thinking: A Conversation on Safety with Mousa Yassin
Host Todd chats with Mousa Yassin about shifting safety culture from blaming individuals to designing systems that tolerate failure and recover quickly. They cover life-saving rules, the concept of recoverability, lessons from software engineering like chaos testing, and the importance of learning over punishment.
The episode emphasizes practical ways to build resilient systems, nurture learning t
PAPod 592 - How a Near-Miss Sparked the Learning Team Movement
Todd Conklin tells the origin story of "learning teams," sparked by a self-reported near-miss at Los Alamos involving a postdoc and an arcing wrench. Rather than pursuing a punitive investigation, a group of workers gathered to identify what needed to be learned, uncovering broader gaps in postdoc training and safety planning.
The episode explains how learning teams prioritize asking better questi
PAPod 591 - Workers Are the Solution: A Conversation with Corey Pitzer
Todd Conklin talks with Corey Pitzer about fatality prevention, Human and Organizational Performance (HOP), and how safety thinking has shifted globally.
They explore controversial views—treating workers as problem-solvers, tensions between engineering/energy-based approaches and systemic/new-view thinking—and use real examples to show why designing systems that absorb variation matters more than
PAPod 590 - Gird Your Loins: NASA, Risk, and the Return of Recrudescence
Todd interviews Professor David Woods about recent NASA mishaps and a growing cultural shift toward "cheaper, faster" decision-making that sacrifices safety. They explore how past safety gains have lost vitality, highlight cascading modern risks (the "messy nine"), and argue for mutual assistance and revitalized resilience practices.
Wood's most recent writing on this is available in the Bulletin
PAPod 589 - Failing Safely: Todd Conklin on Resilience, Recovery, and Real Work
In this episode, Todd Conklin joins Amir Shahzad to discuss human and organizational performance, resilience, and how to design systems that allow failures to be caught and recovered before they become disasters. They explore the gap between work as imagined and work as done, the value of learning from everyday work, and practical steps leaders can take to create safer, more resilient workplaces.
PAPod 588 - Weak Signals, Big Consequences: The RaDonda Story
Hosts Todd and Brent discuss an upcoming restorative workshop centered on RaDonda Vought's account of the Emory Hospital event. The episode highlights how normal performance variability can combine into serious failures, the value of storytelling, and the importance of learning and building resilience across complex systems.
The workshop in Santa Fe (March 31–April 1) invites healthcare and high‑r
PAPod 587 - Start in the Black: How Sleep Debt Impacts Safety
Host Todd Conklin interviews fatigue expert Mark Rosekind, PhD about his path from sleep research to roles at NASA, the NTSB, and NHTSA, and how sleep science applies across transportation and safety-critical work.
Key takeaways: think of sleep like a bank account (sleep debt), "start in the black" before major schedule changes, the benefits of strategic naps, and systemic ways organizations can r
PAPod 586 - VUCA, Uncertainty, and the Case for Innovation
Todd Conklin discusses VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Adaptation) and argues that innovation and safety improve when organizations embrace uncertainty and gather more diverse information and perspectives.
He mixes personal travel and Olympics anecdotes, touches on aviation and healthcare examples, and invites listeners to a hands-on workshop to explore these ideas further.
PAPod 585 - When Safety Stalls: Who Will Reinvent the Field?
In this clip from the Pre‑Accident Investigation Podcast and Punk Rock Safety, Todd joins Ron, Ben, and David to debate why safety innovation is stalling, where new ideas are coming from, and who’s pushing practice forward. They explore barriers like regulatory pressure, the pull of “normal,” and the difference between improving safety and redesigning work.
Using examples from pediatric intensive
PAPod 584 - How Pediatric Hospitals Cut Fatal Extubations by 60% — 12,500 Lives Saved
This episode tells the real-life story of how the Society for Patient Safety and a network of children’s hospitals used learning teams, proactive safety huddles, and simulations to reduce unplanned extubations in neonatal ICUs — cutting rates by 60% and preventing thousands of deaths.
It covers the data, the frontline-led solutions, the narrowing of racial disparities, and an invitation to a small
PAPod 583 - When Normal Variability Breaks: The ReDonda Story
This episode previews a small workshop in Santa Fe where Todd Conklin, Ann Lyren, and guest ReDonda Vaught will explore a tragic patient safety case. They frame accidents as the unexpected combination of normal performance variability and discuss how to learn from such incidents.
Listeners will hear about the meeting goals (March 31–April 1), opportunities to chart the event, and practical tactics
PAPod 582 - Accountability vs. Blame: Who Really Owns Safety?
Todd Conklin breaks down why accountability is an act of clarity, not blame or discipline, and why leaders and workers share responsibility for operational safety.
He highlights the need to set roles before incidents occur, contrasts accountability with performance management, and announces a case-study workshop about Redonda’s Vanderbilt story in Santa Fe (March 31–April 1).
PAPod 581- Measuring the Invisible: When 'Nothing Happened' Breaks Safety Metrics
Todd Conklin explores why its so difficult to measure events that never happen and how traditional safety metrics can mislead organizations. He argues for focusing on metrics that validate safeguards and create desired outcomes rather than only counting accidents.
The episode also touches on automation risks, the limits of frequency-based measures, and the need for better leading indicators and ve
PAPod 580 - Start Right, End Safe: Building Better Encounters in 2026
Todd Conklin opens 2026 reflecting on why how we begin interactions and jobs matters more than we often realize. He uses stories from travel, aviation, and workplace examples to show that the start of an encounter often predicts its outcome.
Conklin urges listeners to choose kindness, psychological safety, and deliberate planning—start the job when the right controls are in place—rather than begin
PAPod 579 - Stepping Back Almost 10 Years...Another Trip Around the Sun: 2016 Safety Recap & 2017 Resolve
10. New Year’s Eve recap reflecting on a busy 2016 and the journey ahead into 2017.
9. Host shares personal travel highlights and experiments in gratitude and generosity.
8. Announces a 2017 focus on seeking and affirming the fundamental goodness in people.
7. Reviews safety’s evolution: from compliance (Safety One) to safety-by-design (process safety).
6. Explains the current phase emphasizing hu
PAPod 578 - Choose Gratitude: A Thanksgiving 2021 Reminder
This special Thanksgiving 2021 episode shares one simple piece of advice: be grateful. It highlights the power of gratitude during hard times and encourages you to pause and appreciate what you have.
When the world feels difficult, instead of meeting pain with pain, reflect on the people, support, and good things in your life. Gratitude helps you move forward with strength and perspective.
Learn s
PAPod 577 - Near Misses: The Unexpected Gift That Keeps Workers Safe
In this episode Todd Conklin uses the season of gift-giving to explain near-miss reporting: why it matters, how it shows whether controls worked or luck saved the day, and how organizations should respond with gratitude and learning—not punishment.
PAPod 576 - From Continuous Improvement to Continuous Capacity: 10 Operational Indicators You Need
This episode shifts the safety conversation from continuous improvement to continuous capacity, introducing a practical dashboard of 10 operational indicators—five system capacities (exposure to unforgiving energy, robustness of safeguards, error tolerance/recoverability, detectability of variance, and recovery capacity) and five human capacities (sensitivity to variation, frontline insight, quali
PAPod 575 - Vancouver Workshop: A Case Study in Failure, Justice, and Resilience
Todd Conklin talks with Brent Sutton and Jeff Lyth about the upcoming HOP Workshop in Vancouver (Jan 28–29, 2026), centered on Redonda’s powerful firsthand story of patient safety, complex systems, restorative justice and resilience — lessons that translate across industries.
Day one features Redonda’s narrative and panel discussion; day two focuses on hands‑on learning and innovation. Please atte
PAPod 574 - Margin for Safety: Lessons from 50 Years in the Cockpit
This episode explores human performance and aviation safety, contrasting airline procedures with general aviation risks. Guests discuss building safety margins, the importance of planning vs. acting, and how economic pressures can erode resilience.
Highlights include treating near-misses as learning opportunities, practical tips for pilots to increase recoverability, and real-world examples from n
PAPod 573 - The Stability Trap: Why Safe Organizations Still Fail
Jay Allen interviews Todd Conklin about his new book, The Stability Trap, exploring why even safe, stable organizations can fail. They discuss the "drive to zero," complacency, pressures on middle management, wearables and data, and lessons from aviation and the pandemic.
The episode also covers how AI was used to reorganize the book’s ideas and help craft its ending, and offers practical reframes
PAPod 572 - The Stability Trap: Why Safety Success Can Lead to Failure
Host Todd introduces his new book, The Stability Trap, and shares a sneak peek episode created with an AI-generated interview. The episode explores why organizations that appear safe can still experience accidents and how success itself can erode safety capacity.
The discussion outlines the core ideas: safety as the presence of capacity, the three R's (redefine safety, reframe the worker, relearn
PAPod 571 - Fail Fast, Learn Faster: A Conversation on Human Performance and Recovery
In this episode Todd Conklin joins Jowanza Joseph to explore modern safety thinking: why human error is normal, how context shapes behavior, and why leadership response and system recoverability matter more than blame.
They draw on examples from Los Alamos, AWS outages, SpaceX and everyday technology to show how organizations can design systems that tolerate failure and learn from it.
Listeners wi
PAPod 570 - Safety Differently Down Under: Todd Conklin in Auckland
Todd Conklin joins the Brisbane Safety Differently Book Lab in Auckland for a lively discussion about leadership, accountability, and learning from everyday work. The group explores why safety is the presence of control, how leaders should respond after incidents, and why learning is the new currency of safety.
Todd shares stories about writing his books, engaging with workers, and practical steps
PAPod 569 - PART TWO: 11 Seconds: How a System, Not a Nurse, Failed
Part two of the RaDonda Vaught story examines what emerged after the event: investigation details, system design flaws, communication breakdowns, and the tiny timing error that mattered. RaDonda Vaught recounts how normalized overrides, software defaults, and organizational assumptions created conditions for failure.
The episode explores the chilling effects of criminalizing mistakes, the human co
PAPod 568 - PART ONE: Charged for a Mistake: The Nurse, the Error, and a System That Failed
In this episode, nurse RaDonda Vaught tells the detailed, context-rich story of a medication error at Vanderbilt that led to criminal charges. She walks through the events, system issues (including a recent EHR rollout and medication-dispensing delays), distractions, and decision points that contributed to the mistake.
RaDonda describes how workarounds, unclear documentation in radiology, drug sup
PAPod 567 - Open Questions 2025: From Metrics to Monitors — Rethinking Safety
Episode: an extended open Q&A from the Pre-Accident Investigation Conference in Santa Fe covering big-picture safety topics.
Speakers discuss the limits of traditional metrics, the power of real-time monitoring, shifting focus from managing risk to maintaining control, validating controls in the field, learning teams, contractor relationships, and prioritizing high-information events. Anecdote
PAPod 566 - Blame Stops Improvement: How Blame Silences Learning
Todd Conklin explores how blame shuts down learning and prevents organizational improvement, arguing that blaming individuals creates a chilling effect that blocks thousands of future learning opportunities.
He connects blame to misunderstandings about human error, emphasizes psychological safety, and urges leaders to ask "what failed" before asking "who failed," while sharing personal anecdotes a
PAPod 565 - Fear, FOMO & Fixing Safety: A Conversation with Brent Sutton
Todd Conklin and Brent Sutton discuss the short-term future of safety thinking—covering the rise and fall of lean/TQM, how commodification can slow innovation, and why fear, FOMO and complacency shape which ideas stick. They explore leaders' responsibility, weak signals, and the need for small 'safe-to-fail' experiments to keep systems resilient.
Set in Santa Fe with lighthearted moments (includin
PAPod 564 - Inside Meow Wolf: A Radical Conversation on Safety & Leadership
Recorded live at Meow Wolf in Santa Fe, this episode features a wide-ranging conversation between Todd and Andy Baker about learning, safety culture, and leadership influence.
They dig into HOP and related safety approaches, debate top-down versus middle-out change, discuss the importance of language and unlearning, and explore how to turn belief into practical skill and behavior.
The episode offe
PAPood 563 - Human Performance, Not Human Error — Todd Conklin on Reframing Safety
Tiny Todd Conklin joins the No Way Out podcast to explore Human and Organizational Performance (HOP), high-reliability organizing, and how safety emerges from complex systems rather than individual mistakes.
They critique traditional investigations, surveys, and risk matrices, and discuss practical ideas for building capacity, worker agency, psychological safety, and resilient operations.
PAPod 562 - When 'I Forgot' Becomes Fatal: Preventing Children Left in Hot Cars
This episode examines the growing problem of children accidentally left in hot cars, explains why memory failures can happen to anyone, and argues that punishment is not the solution.
It summarizes practical approaches—accepting the risk, assuming "when, not if," using technology and visual reminders, and responding with understanding rather than judgment—to create system-level changes that improv
PAPod 561 - High Reliability in Action — Turning Surprises into Safer Outcomes
Todd talks with Lauren Mooney about her book High Reliability in Action and how to translate HRO concepts into practical behaviors. They cover the rise of HRO, the 'Speaking In' approach, nine guiding questions, and the animal avatars that represent attitudes like humility, courage, and curiosity.
The episode emphasizes leadership’s role, DIY team practices for recognizing risk, responding early,
PAPOd 560 - When Hospitals Criminalize Error: A Patient Safety Reckoning
This episode of the Pre-Accident Investigation Podcast features patient safety leader Lisa Zegan, host of Tales from the Sharp End, in a candid conversation with Todd about the 2017 Vanderbilt medication error and what it reveals about healthcare systems.
They explore why criminalizing mistakes harms learning, how design and billing pressures shape medication cabinets and workflows, the limits of
PAPod 559 - Exploring the Evolution of Safety Leadership with Tom Krause
Join Todd as he delves into a captivating discussion with Tom Krause, founder of Behavioral Science Technology, on the Pre-Accident Investigation Podcast. This episode unravels the evolution of safety protocols from traditional behavioral-based approaches to modern leadership-driven strategies.
Krause shares his journey from pioneering behavioral-based safety techniques to exploring the pivotal ro
PAPod 558 - Unveiling AI's Hidden Role in Workplace Dynamics
Welcome to an engaging episode of the Pre-Accident Investigation Podcast with your host Todd Conklin. In this episode, Todd delves into a thought-provoking discussion about the evolving role of AI in our workplaces and lives with guest expert Dox Brown, also known as Drew. Together, they explore the intricacies of artificial intelligence beyond surveillance products, focusing on its positive poten
PAPod 557 - Breaking Paradigms: Why Workers Are Your Greatest Asset
Welcome to the latest episode of the Pre-Accident Investigation Podcast, hosted by Todd Conklin. In this engaging discussion, Todd chats with Jennifer Long about their unexpected journey in writing "Workers Are the Solution, Not the Problem: A Guidebook for Leading Differently." The conversation delves into the transformative insights they discovered about leadership, accountability, and how the e
PAPod 556 - CHOL Live - Inside the Final Episode: A Deep Dive with Shane Bush and Dr. David Woods
Join Todd Conklin in the final episode of the Pre-Extended Investigation Podcast as he hosts an insightful conversation with Shane Bush and Professor David Woods. This concluding episode offers a compelling discussion on the evolution of safety practices across industries, the impact of leadership on organizational sustainability, and the challenges faced by modern safety paradigms.
Dive into the
PAPod 555 - CHOL Live - "Unveiling Future Predictions: Podcast Reflections"
Join Todd Conklin and Rob Fisher on the Pre-Accident Investigation Podcast as they delve into their experiences and reflections from past podcast episodes, discussing the art of leadership and the significance of effective communication with senior leaders. With anecdotes from previous recordings, they explore the value of predictions made unknowingly and how iteration and experience shape success
PAPod 554 - CHOL Live - The Power of Learning Teams: Transforming Leadership Response
Welcome to the Pre-Accident Investigation Podcast hosted by Todd Conklin, featuring an engaging conversation with Bob Edwards from the Community of Human and Organizational Learning. In this episode, Todd and Bob dive into the significance of operational learning and how it is reshaping leadership responses within organizations. Discover how learning teams are providing valuable insights and drivi
PAPod 553 - CHOL LIVE - From Bobbleheads to Breakthroughs: Conference Insights
Join Todd Conklin in an engaging conversation with Shane Bush at the Pre-XMet Podcast, as they dive into Shane's unexpected Hall of Fame induction and the surprising gift of his own bobblehead. Throughout the episode, they explore the dynamics of safety conferences, focusing on the interaction between academia and practitioners. Shane shares insights into how historical discussions are being refre
PAPod 552 - Uncovering the Power of Skepticism in Safety Leadership
Officetoddconklin@gmail.com
Join Todd Conklin on this episode of the Pre-Accident Investigation Podcast as he delves into a fascinating open Q&A session recorded during a conference in Santa Fe. Our expert panel, including Bob Edwards, Andrea Baker, and Martha Acosta, shares valuable insights into transforming skepticism into a driving force for change within workplace safety culture. Explore
PAPod 551 - Cracking the Code: Embracing Uncertainty with Sam Olliges
Join host Todd Conklin on the Pre-Accident Investigating Extra podcast as he delves into the complexities of everyday life and work. In this episode, explore the philosophical musings of how each day of the week shapes our lives and dive into a lively discussion on turning uncertainties into opportunities. Todd shares his recent cooking experiment with papas rellenas, highlighting how creativity c
PAPod 550 - Bent but Not Broken: Navigating The Nexus Between Social and Organizational Resilience
In this compelling episode of the Pre-Exit Investigation Podcast, host Todd Conklin delves into a deeply personal story that challenges perspectives and ignites conversation around resilience and adaptation in organizations. Through the eyes of Hector, a familiar figure from a local restaurant, Todd explores the impact of fear and leadership response in today’s rapidly changing world.
With insight
PAPod 549 - Unraveling the Secret Behind 'Ampersat'
Welcome to the latest episode of the Pre-Accident Investigation Podcast with Todd Conklin! Join us on June 1st, 2025, as Todd shares anecdotes about free summer concerts, revealing the intriguing story behind the symbols 'ampersand' and 'ampersat'. Discover how these symbols connect to our understanding of progress and improvement.
In this insightful episode, we delve into the dynamics of progress
PAPod 548 - by popular request...Unveiling Hidden Barriers: Why People Don't Speak Up
Welcome to the latest episode of the Pre-Accident Investigation Podcast, where we delve into the critical topic of psychological safety and reporting culture in the workplace. Today's discussion is sparked by insights from Brett Torrent, who has observed over his 20-year management career four distinct reasons why employees may hesitate to report issues. These reasons are rooted in fear of blame a
PAPod 547 - The Power of Fundamentals: A Journey with Physics and Performance
In this episode of the Pre-Accident Investigation Podcast, Todd Conklin reflects on the importance of masterfully understanding the fundamentals. Through a fascinating conversation with a renowned physicist, he discusses the intersection of chaos physics and human performance, emphasizing the need to begin every discourse at the start, not where we currently are.
Todd shares insights into a thril
PAPod 546 - Zoe Gulley and Unraveling the Myths of Accident Investigation
In this insightful episode, Todd Conklin leads a fascinating discussion on the concept of counterfactuals with experts Robert Waterhouse and Zoe Gulley from Energy Safety Canada. They delve into the limitations of traditional accident investigations and how long-standing practices may not serve us well in truly understanding incidents and improving performance.
The conversation focuses on causal r
PAPod 545 - A Podcast Redux - "From Southern Tea to Transformative Safety: A Journey"
In this engaging episode, host Todd Conklin kicks off with a delightful chat about Milo's tea, leading into a compelling panel discussion with Bob Edwards, Mark Yeston, and Andrea Baker. The conversation explores the journey of organizational transformation, focusing on shifting from traditional safety views to a new perspective that emphasizes human performance and operational learning.
Join the
PAPod 544 - Navigating the Queues of Chaos: A Tale from the TSA
Join host Todd Conklin as he recounts a humorous and eye-opening experience at a Houston airport, navigating an empty TSA line designed for a crowd. Dive into the conversation about design choices and their impact on efficiency and effectiveness, guided by insights from Don Norman's work. Explore how our systems often dictate behavior, and why their design matters, especially when they seem absurd
PAPod 543 - Navigating Toxic Uncertainty: Insights for Leaders
In this episode of the Pre-Accident Investigation Safety Podcast, host Todd Conklin delves into the complex topic of toxic uncertainty and its impact on organizations. Through engaging discussions, Todd explores how leaders can guide their teams through an ever-changing world by embracing diversity and making incremental adaptations.
Reflecting on lessons learned during the pandemic, Todd emphasiz
PAPod 542 - "Workers Are Not the Problem: A Revolutionary Leadership Perspective"
Welcome to the Pre-Accident Investigation Podcast with your host Todd. Join Todd and Jennifer Long as they discuss their new book, Workers Are Not the Problem, Workers Are the Solution: A Guide to Leading Differently. The conversation delves into the intersection of leadership, accountability, and the evolving work environment.
The discussion highlights the importance of addressing leadership bias
PAPod 541 - The Stuntman Episode - Meeting Peter Tiemann
Thanks for listening to the PAPod!
PAPod 540 - Swiss Cheese Actually
Welcome to the PAPod! This episode discusses the Swiss Cheese Model a bit deeper then normally discussed.
Thanks for listening.
