See Something. Say Something?

Out on the job, you see someone else taking too much risk. They might be a peer or colleague; someone working for another company; someone you know, or a complete stranger. Do you say something – or not?

Either way, you’ve made a decision. A decision is a choice: your choice is to say something, or not to say anything. 

It’s not really your problem: they’re the one in harm’s way, not you. It might be their supervisor’s problem; but that’s not you. Saying something requires some effort on your part; if you did, that person might not even say thanks. 

All of which makes saying nothing the easy choice. It’s the path of least resistance. 

But try thinking about it the other way around: if you were the one in harms’ way, would you want someone to say something to you? Before you got hurt, not after? 

If they said something to you, who’d benefit? You? Your family? Your friends?

If saying something to you kept you from harm, the best answer would most likely be, “All of the above.” 

If that’s true for you, it’s true for everyone else. 

So, say something.

Paul Balmert
August 2023