Welcome to the Environmental Transformation Podcast with your host, Sean Grady. In this high-impact episode, we’re joined by Sam Goodman, also known as The HOP Nerd—a leading voice in Human and Organizational Performance (HOP), safety culture innovation, and host of The HOP Nerd Podcast.
🎙️ In This Episode:
Sam breaks down what HOP (Human and Organizational Performance) really means, why traditional safety programs often fall short, and how organizations can shift from blame-based models to system-level improvements that foster real operational learning, psychological safety, and frontline employee engagement.
🧠 Topics We Cover:
What is Human and Organizational Performance (HOP)?
How HOP differs from traditional safety programs
The dangers of TRIR (Total Recordable Incident Rate) obsession
Why blame, shame, and retrain doesn't work
Moving from “who failed?” to “what failed?”
How leadership response shapes safety culture
Using comedy and storytelling to drive cultural change
The origins and mission of The HOP Nerd
Downloadable video resources for safety meetings
🔑 Key Takeaways for Safety Professionals & Leaders:
Stop focusing on just injury metrics—start listening to workers.
Safety isn’t the absence of incidents—it’s the presence of capacity to fail safely.
Silence in an organization is dangerous—learn how to create environments where truth-telling is encouraged.
Good safety culture starts with curious, calm leadership responses.
🔥 Whether you're in EHS leadership, a frontline worker, or just tired of meaningless checklists, this episode gives you the tools and mindset shift you need to create sustainable safety transformation.
📌 More from Sam Goodman — The HOP NERD:
🌐 https://www.thehopnerd.com
🎧 The HOP Nerd Podcast – Available on all major platforms
📺 Safety satire videos & learning tools: The HOP Nerd YouTube Channel
👷♂️ Who is Sam Goodman?
Sam is a HOP practitioner, speaker, consultant, and podcast host who brings humor, insight, and real-world experience to the conversation about modern safety systems. His work is deeply influenced by leaders like Todd Conklin and Sidney Dekker, but his approach is distinctly his own—bold, funny, and transformative.
🔎 SEO Keywords:
Human and Organizational Performance, HOP safety, Sam Goodman HOP NERD, modern safety leadership, safety culture podcast, TRIR criticism, safety differently, safety improvement strategies, frontline safety communication, operational learning, leadership response safety, psychological safety in the workplace, HOP tools, safety performance podcast, environmental transformation podcast
📣 Subscribe, rate, and review the podcast to help more safety and environmental professionals discover practical strategies that make a difference!
00:00 – Intro: Meet Sam Goodman, The HOP NERD
02:45 – What is HOP (Human and Organizational Performance)?
06:30 – From “recovering safety professional” to operational learning evangelist
11:20 – Core principles of HOP explained: Error is normal, context drives behavior
15:42 – Why traditional safety systems fail: Blame, shame, retrain
20:15 – The danger of the “12 Golden Rules” approach
25:10 – The silence problem: How fear shuts down safety reporting
30:05 – What happens when safety is measured only by TRIR
34:00 – Real examples: How manipulating metrics hides risk
38:10 – Creative case management and recordables
44:35 – Moving from output obsession to system inputs and safeguards
49:05 – Learning from frontline work: Why employee insights are your greatest asset
52:45 – What leaders need to know: How you respond matters
56:00 – “Tell me what failed” vs. “Who failed?” – A tactical mindset shift
59:30 – Using learning teams and creating psychologically safe environments
1:03:50 – Leadership’s critical role in shifting safety culture
1:07:00 – Why safety programs need more real talk and less performance theater
1:11:15 – Sam’s satirical video series and how comedy exposes cultural flaws
1:15:00 – Resources for safety professionals: Free video downloads and HOP tools
1:17:30 – Final thoughts: Why operational learning beats compliance checklists
