Human and Organizational Performance (HOP): In the wide world of Safety improvement, we discuss how humans detect, prevent, and correct errors. Learn some tips on implementing HOP or teaching others about it.
"Counter-errorism" is a captivating podcast that delves into the world of High-Reliability Organizations and error mitigation strategies. Hosted by two seasoned HOP practitioners with surprise guests, this show offers listeners a unique blend of technical expertise and practical insights. Each episode explores things affecting HOP, innovative techniques, and cutting-edge approaches to enhance the reliability of work. The hosts' engaging banter and real-world examples make complex topics accessible to both experts and enthusiasts alike. From discussing the latest advancements in error management (that we know of) to focusing on things that work. "Counter-errorism" is an essential listen for anyone interested in the challenging yet crucial field of Human and Organizational Performance.
Any views expressed are our own (or our guests), not those of our employers or the Department of Energy.
In this epic-sized episode, Rob Fisher shares key insights on bridging operational gaps, improving procedures, and transforming how leaders engage with frontline teams:
- Evolving Hazard Perception: The incoming workforce often lacks an intuitive grasp of the "geometry and physics of risk". Organizations cannot assume contractors or new hires automatically recognize hazards, making active risk management and context essential.
- Work as Written vs. Work as Adapted: Fisher reframes "work as imagined vs. work as done" into "work as written vs. work as adapted." Procedures are frequently technically accurate but practically unusable, forcing workers to adapt to get tasks done.
- Leadership Engagements via TEDs: Leaders should separate behavioral "observations" from true "engagements". Using the "TEDs" framework (*T*ell me, *E*xplain to me, *D*escribe to me, *S*how me), leaders hold two-way conversations about system conditions and task difficulty rather than policing behavior.
- Verbalized Point and Touch (VPT): Fisher advocates replacing traditional STAR self-checking with "Verbalized Point and Touch," explaining that speaking aloud forces the brain to slow down to the exact speed at which the body performs.
- Preserving Institutional Knowledge: As experienced workers retire, organizations should capture micro-recordings of experts explaining complex tasks to create "training and reference materials," rather than making written procedures overly complex.
20 Sept 2026
Counter-Errorism - Episode 28 - Todd Conklin
In this episode of Counter Errorism, Todd Conklin shares key insights on creating a sustainable learning culture and improving operational performance:
Leadership Transformation as the Priority: Real organizational change must begin with the leadership team because leaders act as the ultimate gatekeepers to safety and reliability culture. Unless leaders transform how they view their workplace, organizational progress cannot be sustained.
Shift from "Worker as Problem" to "Worker as Solution": Organizations must stop viewing workers as the problem to be fixed and instead recognize them as the primary solution and source of operational knowledge.
Separate Investigating from Fixing: The sole purpose of an investigation is to learn, describe how an event occurred, and establish "judgments of need". Program owners—rather than investigators—should own and design the corrective actions to prevent superficial fixes like adding signs or mandatory retraining.
Lead with Curiosity Over Culpability: Moving away from rigid tools like culpability matrices, true learning organizations rely on psychological candor and relentless leadership curiosity about normal, everyday work.
10 Aug 2026
Counter-Errorism - Episode 27 - Danielle Ford
In this episode, Danielle Ford explains how organizations can bridge the gaps between training, procedures, and investigations by "stopping the default reaction of immediate retraining" after an incident occurs. Instead of treating training as a generic fix, she advocates for using task-focused frameworks like the "Systematic Approach to Training (SAT)" to isolate specific gaps, paired with "practical job aids."
To build trust and discover risks before failures occur, she emphasizes building psychological safety through "managing by walking around, normalizing leadership presence so visits don't feel like "gotcha" moments. She also highlights shifting toward the "normalization of excellence" rather than a "courtroom" mindset, focusing conversations on how workers consistently succeed.
Finally, she shares how her organization uses Microsoft Copilot to build an AI bot that filters training requests, and how they institutionalize frontline knowledge using quarterly operational forums tracked by a special projects team on a 30-60-90 day schedule.
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