Safety Labs by Safety Products Global The Power of Words in Workplace Safety with Crista Vesel
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Jan 26, 2026 Crista Vesel, an academic and safety communication specialist who studies how language shapes learning and decision-making. She discusses how common wording narrows inquiry and reinforces blame. She explains agentive language, why 'why' can shut down learning, and practical question techniques to open dialogue. She shares models and simple steps to change conversations and build environments where people speak up.
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Language Directs Learning Or Stops It
- Language shapes learning: replacing 'cause' with 'influence' opens inquiry and avoids dead-end explanations.
- Agentive terms like "cause" anchor judgment and block deeper system understanding.
Forest Service Shift From Blame To Inquiry
- Crista recounts working with the U.S. Forest Service and introducing learning reviews that changed their language and practices.
- New words began appearing in the organization as staff reflected the learning-review vocabulary back.
Agentive Words Promote Hindsight Bias
- Agentive language (attributing agency) promotes hindsight blame and simplifies complex, dynamic systems.
- Binary oppositions like 'failure' vs 'success' steer investigations away from the gray space where learning occurs.
