In her tenure as superintendent of the Tukwila, Washington school system, Dr. Nancy Coogan led several transformations within the district. Dr. Nancy Coogan has also studied the nature of high-reliability organizations, which build on her research interest in mindfulness.
High-reliability organizations, such as aircraft carriers, deal with significant consequences of failure by following five principles:
- Focus on failure. Everyone watches for new and possibly dangerous problems that could arise. They do not let down their guard in the absence of errors and accidents but remain alert for new risks. Near accidents do not indicate safety but point to a need for examining procedures.
- Disinclination to simplify. Personnel appreciate the complexity of the work and do not settle for simple explanations. While understanding the benefits of standardization, they do not underestimate the complications of teamwork and relationships.
- Situational awareness. Participants search out overall concepts of operations. They look at their part in the whole picture and the effect of their actions on other areas of the organization.
- Deference to expertise. Members appreciate the skills and perspective of persons, regardless of their location in a hierarchy. In an emergency, senior members might not possess the greatest knowledge of the situation. Rather, everyone involved has a chance to voice safety concerns.
- Dedication to resilience. Since systemic failures are unpredictable, participants practice responses to new kinds of challenges. They act before problems cause harm and work to reduce the severity of malfunctions.
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