What We Focus On Grows – Lessons from the Stage for Safety Leaders

In front of 500 people, alongside Eric Edmeades, one of the best speakers I know, I found myself speaking on a Mindvalley stage. It wasn’t supposed to be a big moment. We were simply practicing a speaking technique: taking someone else’s speech structure and weaving our own stories into it. But sometimes, the moments you don’t plan become the ones you remember most.

I’m no stranger to speaking. I’ve stood in front of executive boards, led safety conferences, and spoken to audiences across industries. But this moment was different. It wasn’t planned, it wasn’t polished, and yet it was filled with energy and connection.

Three days of learning and growth

The Mindvalley event was three days of immersion into learning, growth, and human connection. Every session seemed to build on the last: removing personal blocks, refining vision, exploring new approaches, and honing practical skills for speaking and influence.

We also dove into something I found particularly relevant: how to bring the human element into a world where AI is accelerating. Technology is moving fast, but the ability to connect, inspire, and influence will always be human work.

And this was no passive conference. We weren’t just sitting and listening; we were up on our feet, practicing, experimenting, and stretching outside our comfort zones.

By the time we reached Day 3, the energy in the room had shifted. On the first day, when when we did our small group excersizes, there had been hesitations, a polite shuffle of papers, eyes fixed on the floor. But as the days progressed, people started raising their hands faster. Stories began to flow. Confidence grew.

The session with Eric was about structure, using a proven “speech map” and making it our own. I had done this type of exercise before, but what made it remarkable was the atmosphere in the room.

When my turn came, I knew exactly what I wanted to say. I took the map and wove in my own experiences, my own voice, my own rhythm. And as I spoke, I could see the faces in the crowd, people I’d connected with over the past days, smiling, nodding, and rooting for me.

They didn’t just listen; they supported. Some recorded the moment. Others took photos. When I stepped down, they clapped, high-fived, and told me how much they enjoyed it.

And then Eric said, “That was really, really good.”

Those words, from someone at the top of his craft, carried weight. Not because I needed validation, but because they reinforced a simple truth: what we focus on grows.

The link to safety leadership

In those three days, I saw how people transformed when the environment encouraged them to grow. How they went from hesitating to stepping up. From holding back to sharing openly.

And it struck me, this is exactly what we need in safety leadership.

In many organisations, safety conversations centre on what went wrong. We analyse incidents, document non-compliance, and issue corrective actions. All of this is necessary, but if it’s all we focus on, we risk creating a culture of fear and silence.

What if, instead, we balanced that with genuine encouragement?

• Noticing and acknowledging safe behaviours in the moment.

• Celebrating when someone speaks up about a near miss.

• Sharing stories of prevention and learning, not just of failure.

• Supporting each other to try again, even if the first attempt wasn’t perfect.

In safety, just like on that stage, people thrive when they feel supported, when their contributions are recognised, and when the focus is not just on avoiding mistakes but on growing strengths.

Cheering each other on

The truth is, safety is everyone’s stage. Some are naturally confident, others need more encouragement. But every voice has value.

When we cheer each other on, when we create a culture where people want to share their experiences, both the successes and the close calls, we tap into a collective treasure chest of learning. We move from compliance-driven safety to culture-driven safety.

And here’s the key: growth in safety, like growth in speaking, is not a solo endeavour. It’s a team sport. The more we focus on what’s working, the more we multiply those behaviours across the organisation.

Ask yourself: What am I amplifying in my safety leadership? Am I only catching mistakes, or am I also nurturing the behaviours I want to see more of?

Because the principle holds true, whether on stage or in the field: What we focus on grows. And in safety, that growth could be the difference between an incident avoided and a someone not coming home that day.

#SafetyLeadership #WhatWeFocusOnGrows #GrowthMindset #SafetyCulture

Mindvalley Eric Edmeades Be Human Be Safe