Just Culture knows this about people:
- All people err. Humans are fallible. We make mistakes we don’t mean to when we are tired, confused, working under pressure, or facing other trying conditions. Sometimes, our brains fool us. We may see things that we thought were there but weren’t simply because we expected to see them. Conversely, we may miss things that are in plain sight.
- All people drift. These means people, on occasion, will choose to move away from endorsed rules, practices, and expected behaviors. People often make these decisions to resolve a conflict between values (e.g., work “smarter”; save time) without appreciating an increase in risk. The choice to deviate generally makes sense to individuals at the time.
- Sometimes people develop habits that are not good ones. The lack of feedback about “work-arounds” (or tacit acceptance of bad habits) can cause people to think risky behavior is acceptable because they no longer perceive the risk associated with the choice. When many people engage in the same risky behavior, it can seem normal, even endorsed.
- Occasionally, people make conscious choices to disregard substantial and unjustifiable risk. They act in a reckless fashion, gambling with the well-being of another, or know that harm will occur as a result of their conduct. Sometimes people choose to act with purpose to cause harm- physical, emotional, reputational, or financial.