The safety of employees is a very high priority, often the number one priority of many organizations.  The safety of the employees can be ensured through many different methods including safety climate, safety training and environmental safety practices such as machine guarding and safety equipment.  A recent study done in Australia surveyed pipefitters and plumbers about how leadership affected safety behavior. The results are very interesting and truly demonstrate the importance of strong safety leaders.  According to the survey, safety leaders whose workers admired their character, intelligence and skill had a form of “transformational leadership”.  When these transformational leaders made safety a top priority the workers often did the same as well.  The safety of organizations with this type of leader often has improved and produced better safety results than those with a transactional type leader. Improving the leaders of organizations is often a challenging process, but as shown in this study and many others prior the impact that a leader can have on an organization is remarkable.  To all those leaders who are empowering their employees to grow and be the very best they can be through effective, efficient, and influential leadership, we commend you. There are many ways to develop a leader including online training, workshops, mentoring programs and on-the-job learning.  At Russell Associates, we have found one of the most effective ways to train leaders is through a blended learning approach.  Visit our website to learn more about our innovative approach to leadership training using a blended learning approach.