Key Insights: What Travel Leaders can Learn from Human and Organizational Performance Best Practices

Recently, Cornerstone Risk Management Advisor, Mike Armstrong, attended a conference which offered a deep dive into the principles of Human and Organizational Performance (HOP). This innovative approach to safety management is gaining traction across industries, from power and manufacturing to aviation and oil and gas. While HOP has primarily been adopted by industries known for their high-risk environments, the lessons learned at the conference have powerful implications for leaders in the tour and travel sectors as well.

Today, we’ve compiled a series of Mike’s insights and key takeaways from the conference, so that you can apply these best practices to your travel business. 

Some Background: The Origins and Principles of HOP

HOP emerged following the 1979 Three Mile Island nuclear incident, and over the decades, it has reshaped how organizations think about safety and risk. At its core, HOP is built around five key principles:

1. People Make Mistakes

2. Blame Fixes Nothing

3. Learning is Vital

4. Context Drives Behavior

5. Management’s Response Matters

These principles remind us that safety isn't a static goal but an ongoing practice, one that acknowledges human error as an inevitable part of the system. Leaders are encouraged to move away from blame when things go wrong and instead focus on learning and improving systems.

Mike’s Major Takeaways for the Tour and Travel Industry

Although much of the conference centered on industries with significantly higher physical risks, such as energy or firefighting, the lessons are just as valuable for the travel industry, where operational safety and seamless experiences are critical.

1. Expect Failure—and plan for It

One of the most profound insights Mike shared from the conference was the need to build systems that anticipate failure. Rather than designing processes that assume perfection, it’s crucial to have mechanisms in place that allow systems to "fail gracefully."

For leaders in the tour industry, this could mean evaluating the layers of control in place for managing complex tours or customer interactions. Are there areas where a single point of failure could lead to a larger crisis? Ensuring that multiple controls exist, especially in high-stress situations like coordinating logistics or handling customer complaints, is key to minimizing the impact of inevitable mistakes.

2. Focus on Areas of Low Control, Not High Risk

Instead of directing attention solely to high-risk areas, leaders should ask: where do we have the fewest controls? In travel, this could translate to assessing the stages of trip design, vendor vetting, transportation,  and screening travelers where your team has the least influence or oversight. How can these areas be strengthened to reduce the risk of critical failure?

3. Safety is a Practice, Not a Program

Mike emphasized a critical mindset shift: safety isn't a program you "arrive at," but rather a continuous practice. The focus should be less on the abstract goal of being "safe" and more on the daily habits of working safely. After all, if you only cared about safety (or safety was your “#1 priority,” then you would keep your planes on the ground and ships at harbor). This resonates deeply with the operational realities of running tours, where dynamic conditions require consistent and adaptable safety practices.

4. Shift from “Who Failed” to “What Failed”

In the event of an incident, the natural tendency is to find someone to blame. However, HOP teaches us that organizational thinking should instead ask, "What failed?" Leaders should focus on identifying and improving the systemic breakdowns rather than singling out individual errors. By asking better questions, you can create an environment where your team feels supported and empowered to learn from mistakes.

5. Do Workers Make Bad Choices or Do They Have Bad Choices?

Another important consideration from the conference is whether errors arise from individual poor decisions or from the choices workers are given. In the travel industry, this might prompt reflection on whether your team has been equipped with the right resources, training, and systems to succeed. Do they have the right shared vocabulary to manage stress and escalate issues? Are your employees forced to make risky choices due to gaps in planning or preparation?

Moving Forward: Applying HOP Principles to Your Business

While the tour and travel industry may not seem to align directly with high-risk sectors like energy or manufacturing, the human and organizational elements of safety are just as relevant. By embracing the principles of HOP, leaders in travel can foster a culture of safety that is proactive, adaptable, and built around learning rather than punishment.

For those interested in diving deeper into these concepts, we encourage you to explore more about HOP through resources like The HOP Hub and The HOP Mentor. Or, connect with Mike to discuss further!