PETE GOSS is a singlehanded round-the-world yachtsman, most famous for giving up any chance of winning a race and risking his life to turn back into the face of a severe Antarctic storm to save a French sailor who was in trouble. At a recent safety seminar, he was asked, "How long did it take to decide to turn back?" His answer was: "About 15 to 20 seconds. It wasn't exactly convenient," he explained, "but it's what you do. It's a value of the sea that is deeply embedded. It doesn't actually need thinking about." The challenge thrown back to the audience of senior managers was this: are our oft-stated values, such as "if it can't be done safely-then don't do it", as deeply embedded? From the uneasy silence that filled the room, I got the impression not everyone was comfortable with their own answers.
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