Safety Third
Mike Rowe’s “Safety Third” concept caught my attention some time ago with its “What did he just say?!” allure.
But his sentiment goes far beyond a simple “gotcha.” It is, in many ways, a declaration of what it takes to lead boldly in a world obsessed with avoiding discomfort and pain.
Every organization has its unspoken idol(s). For many today, Safety – emotional, physical, financial, reputational – ranks at the top of the list. It is a natural byproduct of what we see growing at the personal level all around us.
Our world is wrapped in proverbial bubble wrap, becoming more risk-averse with every breath.
But leaders who seek impact think differently. They understand the imperative to reorder their priorities.
Mike’s bold observation is spot on: When Safety becomes absolutely sacred, Freedom becomes the sacrificial lamb. And we cannot let that happen.
What remains in that scenario is a culture of fear. One that avoids mistakes, yes, but also loses meaning.
We have to find a bridge that keeps both priorities in healthy tension.
Enter: Personal Responsibility.
Freedom is the foundation of all fruitful life and leadership. It is what allows people to think, dream, take risks, and grow. Without Freedom, leaders and teams simply comply. They do not create.
In every sphere of our existence – business, life, and faith – Freedom is the soil from which innovation and trust grow.
Faith itself is impossible without it. God does not coerce belief; he invites it. He gives us the Freedom to choose, and with that Freedom, the dignity to act.
Great leaders mirror this divine order. They create environments where Freedom thrives – where ideas are welcomed, initiative is rewarded, and people feel trusted to think for themselves.
Freedom empowers the best in people. It calls them to rise beyond comfort and into contribution.
But Freedom needs a framework.
Freedom without Personal Responsibility is chaos. And Personal Responsibility without Freedom is tyranny.
The two must work together. Freedom gives energy; Personal Responsibility incorporates direction, ownership, and agency.
In the hands of a wise leader, Personal Responsibility is not a burden or an anchor. It is ballast. It steadies the ship. It channels the creative force of Freedom into meaningful, measurable outcomes.
Leaders who embrace Personal Responsibility understand that true stewardship requires ownership. They do not hide behind excuses or policies. They do not outsource integrity to HR or compliance. They take ownership of their choices, their culture, and their results.
That is the difference between Freedom from and Freedom for. We are not free from accountability. We are free for contribution.
Personal Responsibility is how purpose-driven leaders transform Freedom into flourishing.
Which leads us back to our third priority.
Safety matters. But it is not ultimate.
When we make Safety our top priority, we subtly make fear our guiding principle. We stop moving forward. We stop asking hard questions. We trade adventure for insurance, and boldness for bureaucracy.
In healthy leadership cultures, Safety is not ignored. It is rightly ordered. It becomes a byproduct of wisdom, not the object of worship.
When people are free to act and take Personal Responsibility for what they do, they naturally work with care. Their Safety grows from engagement, not enforcement.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and self-discipline. — 2 Timothy 1:7
Leaders who live by that verse will inevitably model Safety Third. Not because they devalue Safety, but because they elevate courage, Freedom, and Personal Responsibility above fear.
Purpose-driven leaders do not play it safe. They do their best to play it “right.”
Freedom first. Personal Responsibility second. Safety third.
When that order is restored, organizations come alive. People rediscover their sense of agency. Purpose replaces protectionism. And the culture of fear gives way to a culture of flourishing.
After all, Safety was never meant to be the goal. It was meant to be the fruit – the result of Freedom well exercised and Personal Responsibility well embraced.
Blessings to you, my friends!
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This Week’s Resource Recommendation:
"Do Hard Things: Why We Get Resilience Wrong and the Surprising Science of Real Toughness"
- Steve Magness
From Amazon: Toughness has long been held as the key to overcoming a challenge and achieving greatness, whether it is on the sports field, at a boardroom, or at the dining room table. Yet, the prevailing model has promoted a mentality based on fear, false bravado, and hiding any sign of weakness. In other words, the old model of toughness has failed us.
Steve Magness, a performance scientist who coaches Olympic athletes, rebuilds our broken model of resilience with one grounded in the latest science and psychology. In Do Hard Things, Magness teaches us how we can work with our body – how experiencing discomfort, leaning in, paying attention, and creating space to take thoughtful action can be the true indications of cultivating inner strength. He offers four core pillars to cultivate such resilience:
Pillar 1: Ditch the Façade, Embrace Reality
Pillar 2: Listen to Your Body
Pillar 3: Respond, Instead of React
Pillar 4: Transcend Discomfort
Smart and wise all at once, Magness flips the script on what it means to be resilient. Drawing from mindfulness, military case studies, sports psychology, neuroscience, psychology, and philosophy, he provides a roadmap for navigating life’s challenges and achieving high performance that makes us happier, more successful, and, ultimately, better people.
MMS 25-45
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