Dale Gray has been a member of ASSP for over 50+ years and is a current member of Greater Detroit Chapter. Dale recently took the time to provide us with some words of wisdom he has gained over the years and tell us a little about himself.
Advice on being an effective safety professional
To be truly effective in safety management, securing management support and involvement is paramount. While support is important, true involvement means active participation. For instance, if you need the CEO’s support, they might delegate the task to someone else. Involvement, on the other hand, means they personally commit to the task.
For example, during my career, I requested the CEO’s involvement in creating a video for a large audience. He not only agreed but also declined my offer to draft his speech, insisting he knew what he wanted to say. This level of engagement is what distinguishes involvement from mere support.
Another critical aspect is understanding that no one is indispensable. Some professionals believe that the job won’t get done without them and try to do everything themselves. However, it’s essential to remember that everyone is replaceable, and the focus should be on doing the best with the resources available at the time.
When it comes to building a successful team, I liken it to conducting a train. First, you must decide the direction you want to go. Then, you need to select the right people to join you on that journey. Finally, you must ensure that each person is in the right role, utilizing their expertise effectively. By getting these elements right, you increase the likelihood of achieving your objectives.
Favorite phrases / Words to live by
“Worry never lessens the sorrow of tomorrow. It only saps the strength of today.”
“There is no future in the past so what is past, good or bad, you know that’s in the past you don’t look at that. You look to today in the future.”
Dale’s Career Path
In my career at Ford, I started as a Production Foreman on my 22nd birthday, despite having a master’s degree, to gain frontline experience. Over the years, I moved into various roles in labor relations, human resources, and ultimately, as a safety director at the corporate level, which I held for 13 years until retirement at age 55. While this path may seem unconventional, it allowed me to achieve my goal of early retirement.
Retirement has allowed me to reflect on my career and stay connected with the safety community through organizations like ASSP. As an ASSP Fellow, I value the network and opportunities to stay engaged with like-minded professionals. While I may not be actively teaching anymore, I cherish the connections and memories from my years in the field.
Honor of ASSP Fellow
I’m an ASSP Fellow. It’s a very select group which I’m very honored to be a part of. You have to be nominated and there’s some great safety people throughout the country. It’s a rigorous process to be nominated. And for those that are presenting you as a nominee it takes a lot of work and it’s because of a fellow that went through all that work and my credentials that I was elected. Many of them have passed away but there are probably about 70 in the country. (Only 146 members have become a Fellow so far. It was started in 1961. It is so selective that there have been 7 years where no Fellows were even awarded.) Fellows of American Society of Safety Professionals, which used to be Engineers not professionals so it’s a select group. I had good people working for me, good people presenting for me, and that’s another thing, you need to surround yourself with good people, that’s for sure.
Leadership Positions
During his career Dale also had volunteer leadership roles including:
ASSP Greater Detroit Chapter President (1985-1986)
President of Michigan Safety Conference
President of Michigan Manufacturers Association
Thank you, Dale, for your dedication to ASSP and the safety community!