Beware!

Your Default Settings Might Just Kill You When you hear the phase default setting, what comes to mind? You probably thought about the settings that are pre-loaded onto your computer software. Just about all electronic gadgets come with default settings. They help to soothe our relationship with technology by reducing the frustration of having to remember the settings in the rst place and by eliminating the fear that if theyre lost youve entered into a black hole. We take for granted the simple, reassuring fact that every time we shut our computers down, upon restarting our settings are restored. Whew! What happens if you want to change these preset defaults? You must open up your computers preference folder and do so manually, otherwise every time you start up your computer you will return to the original settings. People have default settings as well, sometimes called habits, patterns or mindsets that basically serve the same purpose as those in our computers: They make life easier and less frustrating. A simple example is the default setting of crossing your arms. Your brain is hardwired to do this, which saves you time and energy. It is a habit that is initiated and accomplished with minimum awareness. Our brains have systems or preference folders lled with hardwired habits or patterns that add predictability and comfort to our lives and save our mental and physical energy for more challenging assignments. I think you can already see the advantages and disadvantages, particularly when we want or need to change a behaviorwe must confront and override a default setting. Its not easytry crossing your arms in the opposite way from your default arms crossed setting. What did you notice? It feels weird and there is a strong urge to return to your default setting. To change your computers defaults you have to consciously open the folders and manually plug in the new setting and most importantly hit save or else nd yourself back at the original setting. To change one of your default settings, habits or patterns of behavior requires the conscious effort to explore why and how it started in the rst place. The more you become familiar with the origins of your own default settings and what purpose they do or dont serve, the better position you are in to change them. Unfortunately, we dont have a save button only through awareness, practice and reection can we create and save new default settings. It also seems that humans are susceptible to cultural default settings. One that Ive experienced is the default that faster and shorter is better. This default gets maximum reinforcement in our culture. We are constantly hearing about the pressure to keep pace with life and work: Adages like Time is money, and attitudes that assess our self-worth based on winning, such as, First to the nish line is the winner and everyone else is a loser. We prefer our news and information in 30-second sound bites, fast food is now a symbol and metaphor for how we consume everything, and the ability to multitask is a standard job requirement. This faster and shorter is better mentality bombards us every moment of the day. We have become so hardwired in this thinking

Beware! Your Default Settings Might Just Kill You that we feel discomfort when we perceive things as moving slow. Ive seen people get irritated when their fast food isnt fast enough. The faster and shorter is better mindset is taking its toll and consequences could be tragic. People are running red lights and stop signs to gain a few seconds advantage. Our consumption of fast food is creating an epidemic of obesity and other health problems. High blood pressure and cholesterol are by-products of the food we eat and the I dont have a second to spare approach to life. Leaders will take short cuts and make high-stakes ethical decisions expediently to meet quarterly nancial expectations that will reward them with recognition and or a bonus with little regard to the long term consequences these decisions may have on their reputation and the nancial health of those connected to their business. In organizational safety, this mindset poses one of the greatest threats. Many of us have heard stories and seen Each year red light running crashes situations on TV in which companies have increased result in nearly 1,000 deaths and production by encouraging employees to work faster about 90,000 injuries nationally. and to take shortcuts, subsequently ending in tragedy. I And, sadly, things are getting worse. cant help recalling the statement made by a miner that Between 1992 and 1998, red light worked in the Upper Big Branch in West Virginia where crashes increased at an alarming 18 29 miners lost their lives. "It (production pressure) percent. According to the Federal makes you want to go nonstop," Campbell recalls. "You Highway Administration 96 percent can't slow down. It's like you're always rushing things." of drivers fear being hit by a red light runner upon entering an In my work as a safety and leadership consultant, Ive intersection, yet 55.8 percent admit heard many stories about accidents that can be attributed to running red lights. The leading to either or both the employees and the companys excuse cited by the red light runners faster and shorter is better mindset. And I have been is "being in a hurry!" This sense of involved with organizations where workers have entitlementmy time is more willingly put themselves in harms way to save time or valuable than your safety money only to become a victim. combined with a low expectation of being caught is responsible for Employees come to work with the faster and shorter is rampant disrespect for the rules of better default setting primed. Theyve passed numerous the road. fast food establishments, exceeded the speed limit and Driving Today, June 2007 probably gotten upset because they didnt make a green light and had to stop. Leaders and organizations need be aware of these human and cultural preferences and mindsets and must be proactive in making it abundantly clear that fast and shorter is not better. Our brains preference to hardwire patterns to boost efciency and our societys habit of rewarding this behavior means we must be constantly vigilant of default settings that appear on the surface to be helpful and harmless, but are unhealthy and unsafe. Sometimes we need to take the same steps with our brain that we do with our computersopen up our mental folder of habits and plug in a new setting: Take it slow. Safety is important. Faster and shorter is

Beware! Your Default Settings Might Just Kill You dangerous. Organizations must reinforce this by making it their cultural default setting to overcome this fast food mentality. Im reminded of a two sayings. One was popular in the 70s and 80s: Speed kills. The other, an ancient warning from the philosopher Socrates: Beware the barrenness of a busy life.