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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Incident Reporting, Risk Management, School Safety

  Bullying.  Cyberbullying.  Harassment.  Violence.  Weapons. Truancy.  Student Achievement.  While most school leaders want to focus their attention on the last item mentioned in that list, student achievement, school districts are finding themselves overwhelmed with school safety issues and constantly working to investigate and respond to situations, leaving fewer and fewer resources to improve learning and achievement. So, what can be done to improve student safety and prevention efforts, and in turn, provide students with an environment they feel secure in to excel and expand their learning objectives? In many situations, gaps exist between school administrators and policy, and what is actually happening on buses,Read More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Risk Management

  What makes a good risk manager? This was a discussion I participated in recently and most of the responses suggested a good risk manager had to have knowledge and ability – and needed to know who, how, why, when, where, how often, etc. I agree a good risk manager should have each of the things mentioned above, however these are only part of what makes a good risk manager. So I asked the following questions…What makes a good surgeon? A good race car driver? A good golfer? They all need knowledge and ability and they need to know who, how, why, when, where, howRead More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Uncategorized

  We know from a lot of research and lessons learned that the right information comes in many different forms and the right people includes many different individuals who can be located in many different places who need the right information at many  different times so they can all do the right things.  The next critical effort in the process of doing the right things involves the right documentation. The right documentation is required and/or critically needed for: Compliance with Federal Laws Compliance with State Laws Compliance with Organizational Policies & Standards Legal Due Diligence in potential lawsuits Ongoing Risk Management and Risk Assessment EffortsRead More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Risk Management, School Safety

  Did you see the video of the 68 year-old Bus Monitor getting bullied and abused by students? This incident has received attention from across the nation with support pouring in for the bus monitor. But, perhaps what is more important is the lessons we learn from this incident to help prevent future situations from escalating. Do School Administrators have any clue as to what is happening to Bus Monitors and Bus Drivers on their buses? How many other Bus Monitors and Bus Drivers is this happening to? Why are Bus Monitors and Bus Drivers not properly trained with the right information on how toRead More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Uncategorized

  We know from research and lessons learned that in order for organizations and individuals to prevent incidents and do the right things, organizations and all appropriate people must be equipped with the right tools to get the right information to the right people in the right places at the right times with the right documentation so individuals can do the right things. Part 1 of Doing the Right Things shared why organizations of all types are failing to prevent preventable incidents of all types. Part 2 of Doing the Right Things provided an overview and a partial list of the right information, which canRead More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Uncategorized

  We know from research and lessons learned that in order for organizations and individuals to prevent incidents and do the right things, organizations and all appropriate people must be equipped with the right tools to get the right information to the right people in the right places at the right times with the right documentation so individuals can do the right things. Part 1 of Doing the Right Things shared why organizations of all types are failing to prevent preventable incidents of all types. Part 2 of Doing the Right Things provided an overview and a partial list of the right information, which canRead More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Uncategorized

  Part 1 of Doing the Right Things shared why organizations of all types are failing to prevent preventable incidents of all types. We know from research and lessons learned  that it is critical to equip organizations and individuals to prevent incidents and do the right things which means equipping organizations and people with the right tools to get the right information to the right people in the right places at the right times so individuals can do the right things. The Right Information What is the right information?  The right information consists of many different types of information and the right information can comeRead More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Uncategorized

  We have studied hundreds and hundreds of failures, fines, lawsuits, tragedies and numerous other incidents that have occurred across multiple sectors and around the world.  In our studies, we have discovered some extraordinary details that nearly every failure, fine, lawsuit, tragedy, incident had in common: Most incidents and consequences were preventable Nearly every preventable failure, fine, lawsuit, tragedy, incident, etc. that was not prevented was due to gaps or disconnect in one or more of the following obligations:   Organizations and individuals did not do the right things and were not able to prevent expensive and embarrassing incidents because they: Lacked the Right Tools…Read More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Risk Management

  Everyone has seen a picture of an iceberg showing only the tip of the iceberg actually visible above water and the majority underwater.                           Prevention is sort of like an iceberg because the majority of actions that must be taken with regard to preventing incidents are not visible to most people. For example, if you work at a financial organization and you are striving to prevent fraud and the expensive consequences of fraud, or if you work for an educational institution and you are striving to prevent bullying and the expensive consequences ofRead More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Risk Management

  “Talking” about Doing the Right Thing is not the same as “Doing” the Right Thing. Lots of news stories, government folks, celebrities and experts talk about doing the right thing.  Lots of “talk” appears on websites and in blogs, books, programs and laws.  But “Doing the Right Thing” requires taking action and more specifically taking proactive prevention-focused actions. Facts and lessons learned clearly show us that most incidents, tragedies, suicides and headlines were preventable.  So why are people not taking proactive and preventative actions and not doing the right things? I had an idea for this blog a couple weeks ago and then IRead More →