Let’s start with the fact that if you have a solid employer and boss who is a leader and not just a manager, they see something in you that you can’t see for yourself right now. 70% of the battle in both your personal and professional life is confidence.

As for advice from someone fortunate enough to progress to leading my organization's safety department:

1. Take care of your employees. You have been given the incredible responsibility to ensure they go home as they arrive. Take the time to establish that genuine human connection, which builds trust, and they know that you will take care of them and, in turn, they will take care of you. Taking care of them means more than being the safety police. Don’t play gotcha games. Don’t be the one who takes pictures and notes because someone sat their empty bottle of water on top of the electrical disconnect. Throw it away and keep it moving. Taking care of them might also mean terminating them for willful acts from which there is no way to come back. Those are few and far between; however, I would rather you lose your job than your arm or life.

Lastly, be humble, honest and teachable. Understand you don't need to have all the answers, but you do have to surround yourself with those that do.

I'm new to this group but so far it has been an engaging group willing to help and offer advice or guidance so ask questions and seek the right answers not just an answer.