Bengalla is an Australian mining operation that recognised the critical link between leadership capability and workplace safety. Following a tragic fatality in 2018, the organisation embarked on a comprehensive journey to strengthen leadership at all levels, with particular focus on frontline supervisors who directly influence daily safety outcomes.
The Challenge
In early 2024, Bengalla approached Leadership & Performance Partners with a clear goal but an undefined path: they wanted to develop their frontline supervisors’ leadership capabilities, but weren’t sure what the program should look like.
Through a comprehensive Safety of Work review conducted by Bengalla, involving the entire organisation, several critical gaps emerged:
- Inconsistent leadership behaviours across supervisory teams
- Blurred lines of accountability between supervisors and superintendents
- Difficulty having performance conversations, particularly around safety-critical issues
- Communication challenges in daily pre-shift meetings and team interactions
- Gaps in time management and decision-making under operational pressure
- Limited team development capabilities among frontline leaders
Most critically, these leadership gaps were identified not just in production areas, but across the entire business. The organisation needed a solution that would strengthen the foundation of their safety culture by developing confident, consistent leaders at the frontline.
The Solution: A collaborative partnership approach
Rather than delivering an off-the-shelf program, Leadership & Performance Partners invested 12 months in collaborative design before the first workshop was delivered. This partnership approach began with a full-day consultation bringing together approximately 15-20 stakeholders including workers, frontline leaders, HR, safety teams, superintendents, and managers.
Program Design
The resulting program consisted of four full-day workshops delivered over a 4-month period:
Workshop 1: Leadership Foundations
- Leadership behaviours aligned with organisational values
- Responsibilities and accountabilities of frontline supervisors
- Building trust, respect, and presence
- Clear communication fundamentals
Workshop 2: Performance Discussions
- Setting clear expectations
- Delivering positive and corrective feedback
- Having conversations about “small stuff” before it becomes big problems
- Dealing with difficult conversations
Workshop 3: Emotional Intelligence & Communication
- Practical communication skills for daily operations
- Effective pre-start meetings
- Managing conflict in the workplace
Workshop 4: Time Management & Decision-Making
- Priority management in operational environments
- Decision-making frameworks
- Balancing competing demands
Key Differentiation: Contextualisation and Support
Every element of the program was tailored to Bengalla’s specific context:
- Real scenarios: Role plays and activities based on actual situations supervisors face daily
- DISC assessments: Conducted pre-program with individual debriefs to build relationships and identify individual needs before Day 1
- Leader involvement: Superintendents and line managers were briefed before each workshop, present during delivery, and provided real-time feedback on role plays
- Between-workshop application: Participants tested concepts in the workplace and debriefed progress with their line leaders, who became ongoing coaches and mentors
- Values alignment: Every component reinforced Bengalla’s organisational values
- Practical resources: Comprehensive participant guides served as ongoing reference materials
The program also included post-program 360 assessments to measure behavioural change and inform ongoing professional development conversations.
The Results
Over the journey since the incident, Bengalla has seen transformational results:
Quantifiable Safety Improvements
- 50% reduction in significant incidents (situations where people are exposed to serious risk)
- 30% reduction in all injury frequency rate (including all first aids)
These results represent sustained improvement over four years, not temporary statistical variation.
Behavioural and Cultural Shifts
- Positive behavioural changes observed in leaders across the business
- Improved collaboration between workers and management at all levels
- Increased ownership and accountability throughout the organisation
- Stronger trust between different organisational levels
- More consistent leadership practices across the operation
Program Reach
- 60-70 participants through four completed cohorts
- Fifth cohort planned for 2026
- Program has become a mandatory component for anyone wanting to become a leader in Production, CHPP or mine maintenance at Bengalla
- Cohorts of 12-15 participants ensure quality interaction and personalized attention
Why this partnership worked
Several factors contributed to the program’s success:
- Long-standing relationship: The long-term partnership meant deep understanding of Bengalla’s business and culture
- Collaborative design: Investment in upfront consultation ensured the program addressed real needs, not assumed ones
- Leadership buy-in: Senior leaders weren’t just sponsors – they were active participants, coaches, and role models
- Practical application: The four-week spacing between workshops allowed real-world practice and reinforcement
- Flexibility and responsiveness: As a small, nimble team, Leadership & Performance Partners could adapt to emerging needs
- Integration with existing initiatives: The program complemented other development activities, including the Deloitte program and safety reviews, creating a comprehensive development ecosystem
Client Testimonial
“We do believe through the business that the relationships have improved and we’re seeing some safer outcomes – that’s what this is all in aid of. For the amount of work we’re completing out there, we’re injuring less people over this time. That’s what we’re extremely proud of and that’s what this journey’s improved for us.”
Kent Flaherty, Health, Safety, Engineering & Technology Manager, Bengalla Mine
Conclusion
Bengalla’s investment in frontline supervisor development demonstrates that leadership capability and safety outcomes are inseparable. By partnering with Leadership & Performance Partners to create a thoroughly contextualised, values-aligned program with strong leadership involvement, Bengalla has not only improved safety metrics but transformed the leadership culture that drives daily operations.
The program’s ongoing expansion into 2026 and beyond confirms its value as a cornerstone of Bengalla’s approach to developing leaders who can create and sustain a strong safety culture.