From the Training:
Certified E-SAT Practitioner

People say that opposites attract.
I don’t think that’s quite accurate.

Contrast attracts.

We’re drawn to things that stand out but only if they’re better.
Different alone isn’t enough. Different can actually push people away.
Better is what pulls us in…and keeps us interested. 

Take Chick-fil-A for example. 

When Boston Market came onto the scene, they were Chick-fil-A’s first direct competition and they had big goals. Big plans for massive expansion. They wanted a billion-dollar year and it looked like they were setting themselves up to get it. 

Inside Chick-fil-A, there was real concern.
Key leaders had a meeting where they started throwing out ideas such as more stores, more marketing, move faster, go bigger.

The CEO listened. He let everyone talk. 

And then supposedly, he slammed his hand down on the table and said, “We’re not going to get bigger. We’re going to get better. If we get better, our customers will demand that we get bigger.” 

That’s exactly what Chick-fil-A did. 

They got a whole lot better while Boston Market fought to get bigger.
And they got a lot bigger but being bigger didn’t work to their advantage. 

The same year that Boston Market went bankrupt…Chick-fil-A crossed a billion dollars. 

What’s the moral of the story? 

Don’t focus on being bigger.
Focus on being better. 

Now apply that to safety. 

It’s easy to think the answer is more cameras, more apps, or new mechanical devices. These all have great value. 

But if you want to make sure that your school is safer and your culture is more loving—don’t focus on being bigger with mechanical devices. 

Get better at personal engagement, connection, and relationships. 

The threat we face is a human threat.
Absolutely use mechanical devices but get better at the human side of safety. 

The best time to get better is morning arrival.
It’s your highest impact window and the most likely time for violence. 

If you get better here, you improve everything.
Safety, culture, and your credibility. 

To get better do these four things (E-SAT). 

▶️ Engagement
Most morning arrivals only last between 15-30 minutes. Commit to being fully engaged during this brief but critical time of the day. Cancel all meetings until after first period. Be on your feet and out of your office. Be outside, in the halls, and in breakfast areas. 

A focused burst of real, intentional engagement for these brief minutes is far more powerful than hours of passive presence. 

▶️ Supervision
Move constantly. Don’t post up in one spot. Work entrances, hallways, and common areas. Be seen and see others. It’s hard to stop the threat you don’t see and even harder to help a person you don’t know. 

▶️ Access Control
Be present at doors. Hold one open and individually welcome everyone who walks through it. By doing so you’ll control access, but you’ll also make those who pass through it feel safer because you’re there. 

▶️ Territorial Reinforcement
Your presence sends a message of care and warning at the same time. To your students and staff that you care and to anyone thinking of doing harm that your school is not an easy target. 

This is how you get better. 

Not by adding more or doing more.
But by getting better at doing the things that matter the most.

If you must choose between bigger or better—always choose better.