The Integral Nature of Sustainable HSE Performance

The Integral Model is a relatively simple yet very powerful model to aid the development of a balanced and effective approach to HSE performance.

The Integral Approach underscores the way that individual capabilities, expectations and aspirations, group systems and processes, and shared collective practices must be brought together so as to realize the purposes of the organization.  The left side of the model depicts the objective dimension (how we act), and phenomena on this side of the model are observable and measurable.  The right side depicts the subjective dimension (how and what we think).  Phenomena on this side of the model are created in people's minds and cannot be directly observed or measured.

Access to the left side is via monologue.  it s the documents, policies, procedures, training manuals, observable behaviours, etc; all the things that tell people (one directional communication) how things are to be done, what's important, how to act, operate and behave.

Access to the right side is via dialogue.  In real life, it may contradict the monologue and tell people how things are really done around here.  While the subjective aspect of this side cannot be observed or measured, the dialogue can be observed, recorded and and reported upon.  however the dialogue means, what motivated it and what the expected or anticipanted outcomes of the dialogue were also sits in the subjective realm.  The subjective side of the model is the focus of leadership.  Effective leadership always has a strong grounding in dialogue and is typically focused on a view or vision of the future.  what the possibility is for that future is expssed by leaders in their dialogue and their conversations in the organization.

All of the research tells us that as much as 95% of all accidents are as a result of human behaviour, but when you look into the detail more you find that in the large majority of cases the problem did not result because of competency or skill issues; they had to do with factors that sit on the right side of the Integral Model.

When reviewing recommendations from past incident investigations almost all of the actions are focused on the left side of the model - more systems, more audits and reviews, more checking of the checkers.

In terms of the Integral Model,
all four quadrants must be constantly aligned and realigned
if the organization is to achieve
sustainable and effective progress towards its purpose.