The Weekly Reflektion 20/2026
Major Accidents rarely result from a single failure. More often, they emerge from a chain of overlooked warnings, unspoken concerns, misunderstood procedures, or hesitations to intervene. At the heart of many disasters lies a preventable silence: someone noticed something was wrong, but did not ask for assistance, clarification, or support. Fear of appearing incompetent, disrupting hierarchy, or causing inconvenience can prevent an action at precisely the moment when speaking up is most critical.
Do the people in your organisation speak up?
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy is a fable about friendship, vulnerability, and self-love. It highlights that kindness, vulnerability, and asking for help are true strengths. Over 10 million people have bought the book and for many of these it gave them comfort in times of loneliness and struggle.
In one of the many conversations between the characters, the horse is asked, ‘What is the bravest thing you have ever done?’ He replies: “Asking for help.” That simple answer captures a profound truth: asking for help is not weakness, but courage. In the context of preventing a major accident, this lesson can be lifesaving.
Asking for help is a cornerstone of safety culture because it interrupts the silence, in particular when this silence hides normalization of deviance and acceptance of poor practices and processes. Asking for help creates an opportunity for shared awareness, cross-checking, and collective problem-solving before small issues escalate into tragedy. In high-risk environments, no individual, regardless of expertise or seniority, can see everything. Human beings are fallible, and fatigue, stress, time pressure, and complexity can impair judgment. Recognizing one’s limitations and reaching out is therefore an act of responsibility, not inadequacy.
In aviation, Crew Resource Management transformed safety by encouraging co-pilots and crew members to question captains, raise concerns, and request support without fear. In medicine, checklists and escalation protocols save lives when junior staff speak up about uncertain diagnoses or unsafe conditions. In industrial settings, stopping work to seek advice when something feels wrong can prevent serious events like explosions, toxic releases, or structural collapse. Across sectors, the pattern is clear: disasters are often prevented when someone has the courage to say, “I need help,” or “I’m not sure.”
Equally important is creating environments where asking for help is welcomed. Prevention does not depend solely on individual bravery; it also requires organizations to build psychological safety. Leaders must show humility, invite questions, and reward early reporting rather than punish uncertainty. When workers trust that raising concerns will lead to support instead of blame, they are more likely to act before danger grows.
Asking for help also strengthens learning organizations. Near misses, concerns, and uncertainties become valuable information that improves systems, procedures, and resilience. Every request for assistance can reveal hidden weaknesses and become a step toward stronger prevention.
The horse’s wisdom reminds us that courage is not always dramatic. Sometimes, the bravest act is admitting vulnerability in order toprotect others. In major accident prevention, asking for help can stop a hazardous chain before it becomes irreversible. It is an expression of professionalism, awareness, and care.
Ultimately, safety depends not on pretending to have all the answers, but on recognizing when we do not, and speaking up. In that single word, “Help,” lies one of the most powerful tools for preventing disasters. And to conclude, read the book!