The Hidden Power of Belonging in Safety Leadership

A this year, I attended the Safety on the Edge conference in California, a gathering full of challenge, insight, and energy. One talk that stayed with me long after the applause ended was from Mei-Li Lin of DEKRA and Paul Leonard of Entergy. Their message was clear and powerful: if we want to build truly safe, resilient organisations, we must go deeper than compliance or systems.

We must start with belonging.

Belonging Is a Biological Need

Mei-Li opened up about her journey as an engineer and data specialist, and how her passion for psychological safety and human behaviour led her to explore the science of belonging.

What struck me most was her breakdown of the physiological effects of belonging. Feeling connected and valued doesn’t just change how we think, it changes how our brains and bodies work. Lower cortisol levels. Better immune function. Increased dopamine production. Improved decision-making through activation of the prefrontal cortex.

In other words, the biological benefits of belonging make us safer, more alert, and more capable in high-pressure environments.

Fitting In ≠ Belonging

One of the most important distinctions Mei-Li drew was between “fitting in” and truly belonging.

She talked about how strong social identity, within teams and across organisations, can become the foundation for ownership, accountability, and high-reliability performance. In environments where people know their voice matters and their identity is accepted, they are more likely to speak up, share risk, and challenge unsafe practices.

That, to me, is safety leadership.

Building Cathedrals, Not Laying Bricks

Paul Leonard added a beautiful metaphor, echoing an old parable about bricklayers. One sees their job as stacking bricks. Another sees it as building a wall. But the third? The third knows they’re building a cathedral.

He pointed to high-reliability organisations like nuclear power plants, air traffic control, and emergency response teams, where error margins are razor-thin. What makes them effective isn’t just systems or checklists, it’s a shared purpose, trust, and mutual accountability. In short: belonging.

A Practical Example: The Geek Squad

Mei-Li closed with a story from her own team, self-described introverted data geeks who struggled to give each other feedback. They overcame this by building shared identity and playful connection. They gave each other nicknames. They became “The Geek Squad.”

Final Reflection

As I reflect on the talks from Safety on the Edge, I keep returning to one question Mei-Li posed to the room:

“Have you started your cathedral?”

It’s a good one to sit with.

Let’s make safety not just about procedures, but about people. Because the future of high-performance safety starts with something profoundly human: belonging.

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