When we act, everyone benefits

The use of bystander type trainings in organisations will have little or no effect when the message centres solely on protecting certain individuals or groups.  In likes of policing, the focus on VAWG has been to build trust in the profession as well as supporting victims.  Whilst important, when bystander approaches communicate that action benefits everyone including people within the organisation, they will have better success.

When one person makes a mistake in the cockpit of an airplane everyone dies.  The person making the mistake, the passengers, and the crew, they all die.  The co-pilot who noticed the fuel gauge falling quickly but who failed to say anything, they die to.  We know hierarchies of any type, present challenges for those who observe harm and in many cases they can be fatal. 

The example I provided above happened as did many other similar mistakes resulting in the disaster.  As I often say in my work, silence isn’t inevitable.  Despite the presence of a range of inhibitors people can and do speak up.  What is needed is a whole culture shift, one where the entire culture including leaders see that action benefits everyone.  In likes of aviation research into accidents led to a greater understanding of the human factors that led to the crew relying on the captain’s greater experience as opposed to following training procedures.  Airlines began to use a NASA developed approach known as Cockpit Resource Management which is now credited with making flying safer.  A good thing for all of us.

Active bystandership is like the immune system of a workplace: when people step in early and constructively, they prevent small problems from becoming a major crisis. The benefits ripple outward in ways that touch everyone, not just the direct “targets” of intervention.

Here’s why it matters and what can be achieved

• A Safer culture – When people know that others will step in if something harmful, unethical, or unsafe happens, the overall level of fear drops. That makes the environment healthier for everyone, not just potential victims.  A fear currently exists in many settings that stops action.  Reduce the fear you increase opportunities to reduce harm.
• Shared responsibility – Instead of putting all the burden on managers, HR, or “the brave few,” the norm becomes: everyone helps safeguard the culture. That spreads the load more fairly.
• Better performance – People who feel psychologically safe, knowing their colleagues will support them, take more creative risks, collaborate more freely, and are less likely to disengage.
• Fewer mistakes, less harm – Active bystandership isn’t just about calling out harassment. It applies to catching errors, unsafe shortcuts, or ethical blind spots before they spiral. One gentle nudge might save the organisation millions in lawsuits or even save lives.
• Reputation and trust – Workplaces known for having employees who look out for each other attract and keep talent. It signals: “Here, you won’t be left alone if something goes wrong.”
• Empowerment instead of cynicism – Instead of whispering in the hallway, employees have tools to do something. That sense of agency shifts the culture from passive resignation to active care.

The neat trick is that once a workplace gets used to the idea, it doesn’t just stop bad things—it also builds stronger bonds. Stepping in isn’t only about stopping harm, it’s about reinforcing shared values, which makes people feel more like a community than a collection of individuals.  Over a decade ago the New Orleans Police Department introduced the Ethical Policing is Courageous (EPIC) programme.  Developed by US psychologist Dr Ervin Staub the approach begins to redefine the notion of loyalty which is a strength and a weakness in likes of policing.  Rather than joining in with colleagues or turning a blind eye to mistakes of poor behaviour, the programme teaches officers to act to stop harm to their colleagues, to their communities, to their police organisation.  In an EPIC culture the simple message is what when we act, we all benefit.  EPIC has been described by many in policing as contagious.

In likes of policing, active bystandership isn’t just a “nice to have”, it’s mission critical. The stakes are higher than in most jobs, because mistakes or misconduct don’t just affect colleagues, they affect public trust and even lives.  Active bystandership benefits everyone in that context:

For officers themselves

• Protecting careers: An officer who intervenes can stop a colleague from making a choice that could lead to disciplinary action, lawsuits, or even prison.
• Reducing stress and guilt: Officers who witness harm but feel powerless carry heavy psychological burdens. Knowing you can step in helps morale and mental health.
• Safety on the street: Fatigue and stress (red mist) is a daily reality for police officers.  Such stress leads to over reactions to the mildest of stimuli. Tunnel vision or escalating force often leads to harm.  An aware, motivated and equipped colleague can de-escalate their partner before anyone gets hurt.

For the team and organisation

• Stronger trust internally: Officers know their partners have their backs not just against external threats, but against errors or lapses in judgment. That makes bonds of loyalty stronger, not weaker.
• Cultural reset: Instead of the “code of silence,” the norm becomes professional accountability. That shifts the identity from “protecting each other at all costs” to “protecting each other and the profession.”
• Less liability: Every prevented misconduct incident means fewer lawsuits, less payout from taxpayers, and fewer headlines damaging the department’s reputation.

For the community

• Improved legitimacy: Citizens are far more willing to cooperate with police they trust. If people see officers’ step in to prevent harm, it signals integrity.
• Reduced harm: Fewer excessive-force incidents, fewer wrongful arrests, fewer tragedies.
• Bridging divides: Every act of active bystandership chips away at the “us vs. them” mindset, because it shows accountability is real, not just a slogan.

One of the more interesting shifts is that active bystandership turns “intervention” into an act of loyalty rather than betrayal.  As someone who has been described as a bit of a bystander geek, I designed the ASONE peer intervention programme to support everyone.  Stepping in protects your colleague, your organisation, you and your community all at once.  Most people join policing to help others.  Active bystandership supports this goal.

If you think about it in storytelling terms, it reframes the role of the “good cop” from being the silent witness to being the courageous teammate—the one who steps in before things spiral.

Picture the scene.

It’s 2 a.m. Two officers are responding to a call about a man acting erratically outside a store. Adrenaline’s high, voices raised. The suspect resists being cuffed, and one officer, exhausted and frustrated, starts using more force than is necessary, pushing the man down harder, knee pressing into his back.

Here’s where active bystandership kicks in. The partner sees what’s happening, recognises that the suspect is under control, and realises this extra force could cross the line into excessive. Instead of freezing, the partner acts:

• Verbal cue: “He’s under, I’ve got him,” calmly but firmly signals to the officer that the situation’s contained.
• Physical shift: The partner smoothly takes over cuffing, which redirects the first officer’s attention and lowers the tension.
• After-action check-in: Once the suspect’s secured, the partner quietly pulls the colleague aside: “Look, you were amped up. I stepped in so nothing gets out of hand—you good?”

The outcome?

• The suspect avoids unnecessary injury.
• The first officer avoids crossing a line that could have led to suspension, dismissal, or charges.
• The organisation avoids yet another damaging headline and possible lawsuit.
• The partner reinforces that real loyalty means stopping your colleague from self-destruction, not covering it up afterward.

The twist is that the officer who intervened might have saved their partner’s career and mental health. Because if things had gone too far, that officer would carry the weight of what they did forever as would their family probably.

This is the logic behind ASONE.  Intervention isn’t betrayal, it’s the purest form of backup.  It’s about being a good mate.

The above sets out what I’ve learned about active bystandership and why more is needed to better implement meaningful culture change programmes across likes of policing.  This approach is relevant to all settings.  Knee jerk reactions to problems seldom work.  Lectures on acceptable behaviours lead to pushback.  Overwhelming research confirms that when a whole culture is engaged and sees the benefits for them, they will act.

To reflect on my opening lines when no one intervenes everyone is harmed.  Importantly when we act, we all benefit.