Finding the silver lining
In the final episode of Season 10, we welcome Dwayne Edmondson, Safety Director at Gallagher Asphalt and author of Twist of Faith: Finding the Silver Lining. Dwayne shares how attitude shapes not only job site safety, but personal growth, leadership, and long-term success. He reflects on his journey from challenging situations to building a meaningful career rooted in resilience, faith, and continuous improvement.
The conversation explores the critical role of mindset in high-stakes environments like construction and asphalt operations. Dwayne explains how communication, emotional awareness, and a positive approach can prevent injuries, strengthen teams, and create a culture where people feel supported both professionally and personally. This episode is a reminder that success is not just about technical skills. It is about how you approach each day, how you respond to adversity, and how willing you are to grow.
Here’s a sneak peek into this week’s conversation but be sure to tune in to the full episode for all the insights. You can listen wherever you get your podcasts.
R: In those eight seasons, you have seen a variety of things. What is something you have witnessed on a job site or at a plant that taught you a lesson you still carry with you?
DE: I will focus on the positive. One thing I have learned as a safety professional is the importance of attitude. Your attitude coming into work makes a difference, whether you are in safety, a foreman, or a laborer. We do not talk about that enough in the industry.
Beyond that, communication prevents injuries. A ten-second check-in can prevent a ten-year injury. One bad attitude can wreck a crew’s focus and pace. When I am on a job site in the morning, I check everyone’s attitude to ensure everyone is ready for the day. If you start the day on the right foot, it usually goes smoothly. We all deal with personal or family issues, but maintaining a positive attitude can be contagious within the group.
B: That mindset seems to feed into the importance of attitude on job sites. Do you have examples of how this helps on projects or at plant sites where people face challenging situations?
DE: That mindset is one of the reasons I joined Gallagher. The leadership constantly asks how we can get better. We focus on lessons learned and corrective actions. If we fumble the ball, we figure out how to recover and score.
Gallagher is big on innovation. We recently won an innovation award in Arizona, which speaks to the culture we have built. Finding the silver lining means striving to be our best. We are not perfect, but our leadership team sits down to discuss our imperfections and how to overcome them.
This season is sponsored by FleetWatcher by AlignOps. Click here if you want to see FleetWatcher in action.
