High Reliability organising

Reliability professionals hate to get it wrong - and that means they are always checking the health of the system. They assume less and try to look better. They speak up and listen agressively. They know the big picture and how their job fits in the larger purpose of the organisation. And they expect surprises and unexpected events. When these occur, they quickly turn to experts that know how to make sense of the situation. This is the process of reliability seeking that HRO is about.

Aircraft carrier

On an aircraft carrier it is not about sticking to protocol or procedure. In this unforgiving environment any small error may prove to be deadly. Mistake prone is the reality. So strict compliance to procedure is paired with aggressive questioning of rules and whether they apply to the situation at hand. 

Going to the moon

Buzz Aldrin opening the hatch leaving the moon lander remembers the checklist that says "do not leave the hatch wide open". He thinks about that for a moment, turns to Neil Armstrong who is already on the moon and says "I am making sure not to lock it on my way out". A touch of humor and mindfulness.