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Podcasts and Webinars
Lucky or Good Podcast
In 2026, we launched the Lucky or Good Podcast, where we explore lessons learned from outdoor & experiential education, applying safety science and storytelling to learn from our experiences.
This is a community of curiosity, humility, and learning -- not a space to shame, blame, or judge. Critical thinking is welcome, but we should be critical of the conditions that led to incidents, not the people caught up by those conditions.
Follow us on Youtube or wherever your get your audio podcasts.
Learning from Near-Misses
Focusing on learning from near-misses is one of the primary ways in which we have helped outdoor and experiential education programs refine their organizational systems and strategies for more effective risk management. We don't need to wait for tragic events to occur to learn -- we can be learning from the small events and near-misses that are happening all the time.
Sharp End Podcast Episode 62
Institutional Near-Misses
Steve Smith, along with Joel Reid from Northwest Outward Bound School, talks about how outdoor programs can create a culture and system around reporting and learning from near-misses.
Hosted by Ashley Saupe, creator of the Sharp End Podcast.
AEE
Near-Misses Are Telling You Something.
Are You Listening?
Steve Smith shares risk management strategies and stories about creating an organizational culture and philosophy conducive to learning from near-misses.
Experiential Consulting Webinar
Climbers Share Lessons Learned From Near-Misses
Three climbers who had similar incidents and close calls share lessons learned - and the importance of being vulnerable so that we can all benefit from sharing our experiences. Susan Woodward & Jess Nichols share stories about Mt. Rainier and
Mt Timpanogos.
Hosted by Steve Smith
Outdoor Leadership and Risk Management
Association for Experiential Education
It's In the Experience Podcast
In this episode, host Sherry Bagley sits down with Chris Ortiz, the associate director for the leadership development team and the program director for team development at Shaver's Creek Environmental Center, and Steve Smith, founder of Experiential Consulting LLC. The three share their unique journeys into experiential education, delve into their passionate pursuits within the field, discuss the evolving needs of the industry, and reminisce about some enlightening 'ah-ha' moments.
Association for Outdoor Recreation and Education
Advancing the Outdoor Professional
Host Candace Brendler interviews Steve Smith about risk management outdoors, how he got started in the field, current issues and trends, and advice for others interested in managing risk outdoors. Concepts include the importance of learning from near-misses, lessons learned from occupational safety and major events, the value of brave spaces where we can vulnerably share in our outdoor communities, and the impact blame can have on risk management efforts.
Association for Outdoor Recreation and Education
Advancing the Outdoor Professional
Let’s talk about the interdependence of emotional and physical safety in program design and the importance of creating a collaborative and inclusive environment. In this podcast episode, host Candace Brendler is joined by Steve Smith and Christine Norton to discuss trauma-informed risk management. It is important to prioritize program participants' physical and emotional safety, as well as the need to recognize pre-existing vulnerabilities and strengths related to past experiences of trauma.
Safety Science
How Did It Make Sense?
Hosted by Gareth Lock
In this episode, Steve shares a story that had me holding my breath: an experienced climbing instructor almost leaned back over a 100-foot cliff on a slipknot instead of a proper anchor. The near-miss was caught just in time, but, the story is far more than about one careless moment. We unpack what created the situation, how organizational decisions, over-engineered safety measures, and human nature all collide in high-stakes environments.
Vertical Playpen Episode 306
Hosted by Phil Brown
Phil Brown and Steve Smith delve into the realm of safety science, exploring its evolution and the importance of a positive approach to safety management. They discuss the need to reframe risk and safety, emphasizing learning from successes rather than just focusing on failures. The conversation highlights the shift from compliance-based safety protocols to a culture of continuous improvement and learning, ultimately fostering a more humane and effective safety environment.
Counter-Errorism Episode 16
Hosted by James Newman
In this episode, Steve Smith explains how he dramatically increased near-miss reporting by simplifying the reporting process and reframing near misses as "Threshold Zero" events to eliminate the fear of blame. He emphasizes the importance of clearly defining what constitutes "normal" work to better identify actual anomalies and near misses. Ultimately, he advocates for "risk optimization" over strict risk avoidance and encourages teams to learn from everyday successes by asking, "Were we lucky or were we good?".
What if safety was not just about preventing things from going wrong, but learning more deeply from why things usually go right?
In this episode of The Outdoor Education Podcast, Rob is joined by Steve Smith. Together, they explore how outdoor educators, schools and programme leaders can think more clearly about risk, safety, judgement and purposeful challenge.
This episode is full of thoughtful, practical insight for outdoor educators, school leaders and anyone interested in building a more honest, human and learning-centred approach to safety and risk.
The Outdoor Education Podcast
Hosted by Rob Carmichael