Stop, Collaborate, and Lead: Tim Page-Bottorff’s Guide to Human-Centered Safety

The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management

What if the key to better safety leadership isn’t more rules, but better listening?

In this episode of The Canary Report, host Michael Zalle welcomes Tim Page-Bottorff, HSSC Senior Director at JLL and a Marine Corps veteran, to break down what it really takes to transform workplace safety culture. Drawing on decades of experience, Tim shares why “Stop, Collaborate, and Listen” isn’t just a lyric, it’s a leadership philosophy. From building psychological safety to balancing compliance with human connection, this conversation challenges the status quo and offers a fresh, deeply human approach to leading teams in high-stakes environments.

Here are some of the topics that we discuss:

• How to apply the "Stop, Collaborate, Listen" framework to transform safety leadership
• Why traditional safety certifications matter less than developing crucial soft skills
• The VENT method for creating psychological safety: Voice concerns, Explain details, Near-miss reporting, and Trust building
• How to balance technical expertise with emotional intelligence
• Why preventing leadership burnout is crucial for maintaining effective safety programs
• The practical approach to scaling safety programs through strategic partnerships
• How to transition from a compliance-focused to a people-focused safety culture
• Why empowering supervisors to be better listeners creates stronger safety outcomes

Tim Page-Bottorff, MS, CSP, CIT, FASSP, is the HSSC Senior Director at JLL. He brings over 30 years of experience in Health, Safety & Environmental (HSE) to his role. A former Marine who served in Desert Storm, Tim is also a renowned keynote speaker, author, and safety leadership expert who spent over 20 years as a senior consultant with SafeStart. He specializes in developing innovative approaches to workplace safety, contractor management, and psychological safety initiatives. In this episode, Tim shares his "Stop, Collaborate, and Listen" philosophy for transforming safety leadership and workplace culture, drawing from his extensive experience in both military and civilian sectors.

Episode Resources:

• Tim Page-Bottorff on LinkedIn
• JLL Website
• Michael Zalle on LinkedIn
• Yellow Bird Website
• The Canary Report on Apple Podcasts
• The Canary Report on Spotify