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Dual responsibilityHow well leadership and first aid go together
First aiders are mandatory in every company to ensure safety in the workplace. It is often underestimated what an important and sometimes stressful additional task they take on. We spoke to first aiders about their motivation.
Commitment that counts in an emergency
Imagine you have an accident at work. What do you expect from your colleagues? That they help you, right. Regardless of whether you are a board member, manager, or employee, your position is irrelevant. Conversely, however, this also means that if you expect help from others, you should also be prepared to give it yourself. This principle inspires Martin Düssel, transport manager at tk accelis in the West district, in his work every day. So much so, that he has been a first-aider for over 30 years.
Dual responsibility - boss and first aider
Martin Düssel showed early on that he was ready to take on responsibility. It all started in his freight forwarding training when he completed his first basic course to become a first aider. Many professional years later, he became part of #GENERATIONTK in 2019. In his current role, he has dual responsibilities as a boss and a first aider.
"As Head of Transportation at tk accelis, I am responsible for the operational transportation business in the West district. This includes our branches in Bielefeld, Rheine, Dortmund, Frechen and Haan. Together with the operations managers, logistics managers and planning managers, we take care of all the logistics." Not an easy task. He also has a lot on his plate. Martin spends a lot of time traveling to the branches. There, he takes care of organization, project management, process handling and cost management in the area of transport.
Can't do, won't do
Despite the many to-dos that determine his day-to-day work, Martin Düssel is of the opinion: "Many tasks don't protect you from taking on responsibility." After all, being a first aider is not that much work.
"You're not actively out and about as a first aider every day. That's the exception rather than the rule. You should take part in training at least once a year. Otherwise, what counts is always being ready to help."
In other words, if the worst comes to the worst, a first aider should drop everything to help.
Martin Düssel is a transport manager who travels a lot by car. There alone, many dangers lurk for drivers and passengers. Whether at home, on the way to work or arriving at a branch: Martin Düssel is always ready to help in an emergency.
"As I work from different locations, this naturally benefits a wide variety of colleagues. And I act as a multiplier. That's why I'm happy about every person who becomes part of our network for first aiders at thyssenkrupp. You can never have too many helping hands."
Leading by Example
For him, being willing to serve as a first aider has a lot to do with solidarity - but also with his role as a manager. “As managers, we cannot expect our employees to get involved beyond their day-to-day work if we are not prepared to do the same ourselves. We have a responsibility to lead by example,” says Martin Düssel.
He believes that managers already bring many of the qualities needed for first aid from their everyday work. “In an accident situation, someone has to take responsibility. But that doesn’t mean doing everything alone. Instead, they should ask others for support,” Martin Düssel explains. While one person gets the first-aid kit, another can call 112. There is plenty to do, but the tasks need to be coordinated.
“Managers are used to giving instructions. Some people may have a natural talent for it, while others still need to practice. But that, too, is something you learn in training,” says Martin Düssel.
No fear of making mistakes
Some people are afraid of doing the wrong thing in an accident situation. For Martin Düssel, this is a contradiction in terms: "You can't do anything wrong unless you don't do anything at all. That's the worst thing you can do. The bandage doesn't have to fit perfectly. Only the direction should be right, but you can learn all that!" He appeals to his colleagues: "Always remember: you are neither a doctor nor a paramedic, but a first aider. In this role, a good word or a plaster is sometimes enough. And if things get more serious, just call in the professionals."