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I’ve been watching a shift in tender processes across risk-led and regulated industries, and it’s starting to make a real impact.
Whether it’s the rise of AI or simply the sheer increase in businesses and competition, submissions, particularly SSIP and other compliance-based tenders, are coming under much greater scrutiny.
Your odds of winning a tender are now 1 in 7.*
It’s no longer enough to tick boxes or submit a technically compliant application. Reviewers are looking deeper. They’re assessing:
Personally, I welcome this change. It evens the playing field. It rewards those who genuinely live their values and commitments to safety and risk. And here’s the thing: you don’t have to be a large organisation to have your house in order. There’s no unfair advantage, just the organisations that truly walk the talk.
The gap between a “good submission” and a “winning submission” is no longer just about compliance.
It’s about proof of reality: demonstrating that your systems, people, and performance are aligned.
If your business wants to compete, and win in this new environment, it’s time to ask the uncomfortable questions:
- Do our processes reflect how we operate day-to-day?
- Are our teams truly prepared to deliver under pressure?
- Does our submission tell the story of people, culture, and capability, not just paperwork?
Because simply ticking boxes will no longer win tenders. It's about showing that your organisation lives and breaths what it says it does.
* Statistic provided by Once For All
This photo takes me back a few years, but the lessons I learnt in those moments are still as relevant today. Pressure alone doesn’t develop behaviour. It amplifies what’s already there, good or bad.
When under pressure, some people will simply freeze, panic, slow the decision-making process. Some will do what it takes just to get things done, even if it means taking unnecessary risks. And some will calmly assess the situation and make the best choices available to them at that moment in time.
I'm speaking from a place of experience because I’ve had the privilege of working at both ends of the spectrum. From frontline operations on the shop floor to leadership roles in the corporate boardroom. And along this 30+ year journey, I'd lost faith in the belief that dashboards tell the real story.
Of course health, safety, and risk dashboards have their purpose, but they also have their limitations. They look impressive. They’re clean. Structured. Measurable. And they give a sense of control. But before giving ourselves a pat on the back, it's important to remember that they vary rarely reflect operational reality.
Dashboards don’t show hesitation before a decision is made. They don’t capture the moment someone chooses to stay silent just for an easy life. They don’t reveal people ticking boxes or cutting corners because they are under time or financial pressure. They don’t show the cracks revealed when the pressure is really on.
It comes back to people. Mindset. Behaviours. Attitudes. These determine the culture and ultimately the performance of a team, not risk assessments, compliance checklists, or policies. Of course, those tools are important and play a vital role. But they’re only as effective as the people using them.
So how can a business truly understand and improve what’s happening on the shop floor?
- Go and see. Don’t rely solely on reports. Walk the floor, talk to people, observe what’s actually happening. First-hand insight is invaluable. When I was an employee, feeling seen, heard and valued was an incredible incentive.
- Ask, don’t assume. Create safe spaces for people to speak up. Listen to why shortcuts happen, where pressures build, and what barriers exist to doing things the right way, every time.
- Measure behaviours, not just outputs. Track how people make decisions, respond to risk, and support each other, not just whether a form was signed or a box was ticked.
- Lead with clarity and consistency. Managers manage things, but lead people. Train managers to lead with clarity and purpose. People need to understand the “why” behind rules, not just the rules themselves. When expectations are clear, and managers model good behaviours, teams are more likely to flourish under pressure.
- Invest in mindset and resilience. Coaching, mentoring, and regular conversations about values, priorities, and decision-making help people internalise behaviours that drive culture, not just compliance.
Because when the pressure is on, and it always comes, people fall back on existing habits. A culture built on mindset, behaviours, and attitudes will withstand that pressure. A culture built on dashboards alone will crack.
So here’s the uncomfortable truth. You can’t manage culture from a spreadsheet. You can only shape it through the people who live it every day.
Respiratory hazards are a silent risk in many workplaces, from dusty workshops and plant rooms, to water systems and older buildings. Even small, everyday exposures can accumulate over time, leading to serious conditions like COPD, mesothelioma, silicosis, and Legionnaires' disease.
David Lissah delivered a workshop for Unite the Union safety reps that explored practical steps to identify, assess, and control lung hazards across a variety of regulated industries, including aviation and manufacturing. Key takeaways included:
What's in the air, how it affects workers, and why early detection matters.
Assess, control, record, and review, applying the hierarchy of control consistently.
From dust and asbestos to legionella and welding fumes.
Actively participate in risk assessments, encourage reporting of hazards, and collaborate with management and employees to shape safer workplaces.
Illustrating how even simple interventions, like improving welfare facilities can prevent harm and protect vulnerable workers.
The session reinforced that lung health is not just about compliance, it's about people. Small signals missed in daily operations can have long-term consequences. Safety reps and managers play a crucial role in turning awareness into action, protecting teams, and embedding sustainable, practical controls.
Pause. Reflect. Lead with intention. Every conversation, every check, and every improvement makes a difference in creating safer, healthier workplaces.
Welcome to my blogs & posts page. This is where I share thoughts, insights, and real-world experiences from the frontline to the boardroom, all focused on leadership, culture, and making operations and risk human.