Paper overview
The central argument
Why capable people gradually move away from established controls—and how leaders can detect the change before it contributes to a serious event.
Key themes
What the paper examines
- Drift often develops through small, locally sensible adaptations.
- Schedule pressure and impractical controls can normalize workarounds.
- Field curiosity reveals the difference between written work and real work.
- Leaders must correct the conditions that make drift useful or necessary.
Practical application
Put the thinking to work
Use the paper to guide field observations, supervisor discussions and a focused Behavioral Drift Diagnostic.
This publication page presents the approved overview and key themes. Contact Safety Centrics for the complete paper and permission for organizational use.