How can we make our toolbox meetings more lively? That’s the question David Cuninghame, Project Manager at Subsea Cables, asked himself when working on the Ndeavor. He remembered an Australian initiative: the rotating toolbox. The idea is simple: you appoint a crew member to reflect on their previous shift. He then nominates a colleague to do the same at next day’s toolbox. The toolbox facilitator should still conduct their section of the toolbox to inform and discuss about the activities that are planned for the upcoming shift. The rotating part is foreseen as an add-in at the beginning to allow the group to reflect on their own previous shift.
“The whole idea behind it is that you don’t just get talked at, but actually take part”, David says. “By nominating a colleague everyone gets a turn and can have their say.” His experiences are quite positive. “I see it stimulates people to think about what they want to say. Sometimes they discuss it with others beforehand. Our principle goal is to reflect on the previous shift of this group, but some guys talk about safety moments they’ve experienced earlier. That’s okay too.”
Valid points
Paul Watson, Superintendent Subsea Tools, is positive as well. “Even the client participated,” he says. Apart from the discussion itself, which already is valuable, some of the crew members’ contributions did highlight (technical) issues that had got lost in the daily work. Handing over the gavel can however also lead to surprises. “There were indeed some issues raised I didn’t agree with”, Paul says. “But we still acted on it, if they were valid points.”
Uncomfortable
As sympathetic as it might seem to nominate a colleague to have their say, for some the pressure of speaking in public can be very high and should not be trivialized, says Mark Whiteley, Equipment Supervisor and one of the participants. “Personally I don't mind. If I have something valuable to contribute I enjoy speaking and discussing things. Good communication is the key to a smooth work environment (and life in general). However, I know some colleagues felt really uncomfortable with it.” That’s why it’s important to start with inviting those colleagues who already feel comfortable with this. This way the others can see which way the wind blows.
How could it work?
Wrapping up we could say there are pros and cons about the rotating toolbox. Some might feel being nominated is being forced, whereas others might just need this little support. What are your ideas on rotation toolboxes and how to make toolboxes more interactive? Discuss it on your project/ship and let us know!