Meet Our Speakers:
👤Lindsey Schultz, Our Host, CEO of MRC Recruiting.
🎙️ Trevor Mayoh, our guest speaker, Transformative leader in MALE-DOMINANT INDUSTRIES
In this episode, Lindsey sits down with culture change leader Trevor Mayoh to tackle a question with real stakes for mining: how do we build safer, stronger, more inclusive teams—especially in male-dominated environments where toughness has long been the norm? Mayoh, who works across mining, construction, and energy, argues the path forward starts with, not around, men. When men are invited into the conversation early and in the right way, they don’t resist change—they lead it.
Mayoh traces a decade-long shift. What once lived in HR now has buy-in from supervisors, site leaders, executives, and boards. The conversation has matured from compliance to performance and wellbeing—and it’s increasingly clear that psychological safety is a business lever. He cites data showing psychologically safe teams can see a 27% performance lift and that investments in mental health return at least 3x in productivity and reduced absenteeism.
One of the episode’s most compelling threads is the bridge between physical and psychological safety. In mining, physical safety protocols are embodied culturally—three points of contact, wait for the light, no shortcuts. Psychological safety deserves the same rigor. That doesn’t require grand gestures—it can start with small, repeatable behaviors: a “safety moment” that includes a personal check-in, a leader modeling vulnerability, or simply asking teammates to introduce themselves without mentioning their job titles to surface values beyond the role.
Mayoh shares a pivotal story from his own career: a leader implemented regular pulse checks—“How are you, not your job?”—and after the third time, Mayoh felt safe enough to share he was stressed with no external triggers. That disclosure led to diagnosis and tools that changed both his personal health and leadership. The lesson: consistency builds trust; psychological safety takes repetition.
He also challenges common “performative” practices. “My door is always open” rarely works—too many barriers prevent people from walking through it. Sending after-hours emails with a disclaimer still hijacks someone’s evening; batch-send in the morning instead. And if you feel fine, your job is to create space for those who don’t—psychological safety is a team sport.
The episode offers tangible examples of impact: a junior worker felt safe enough to suggest a shop layout change that improved efficiency and was replicated across other sites. Another worker’s brief admission about a missing friend enabled a colleague to bring forward a difficult manager interaction. The takeaway: being seen matters. Respect, not sameness, is the foundation for healthy disagreement and better work.
Mayoh also reframes DEI fatigue. Rather than debating labels, he meets people where they are—often starting with men’s mental health and the real pressures they face. That entry point lowers defenses and opens the door to broader equity outcomes that benefit everyone.
He closes by spotlighting his two initiatives: Equity Leaders, which helps male-dominated workplaces turn policy into culture; and Next Gen Men, a nonprofit building healthier models of masculinity with youth through schools, online communities, and rites of passage. Workplaces benefit now—and invest upstream in the next generation.
Final takeaway: Start small. Share one honest thing. Ask a better question. Repeat. Psychological safety isn’t a program—it’s a daily practice that pays off in safety, trust, and performance.
⏱️ TIMESTAMPS: ⏱️
00:00 – Building Inclusive Teams in Mining
02:51 – Engaging Men in Equity Conversations
04:33 – The Role of Men in Workplace Culture
08:46 – Mental Health and Masculinity
12:00 – Motivating Change Through Personal Values
15:08 – Creating Psychological Safety in High-Risk Industries
19:19 – Marrying Physical and Psychological Safety
22:36 – The Power of Vulnerability in Leadership
26:11 – Intentionality in Creating Safe Spaces
30:06 – The Importance of Consistency in Safety Practices
33:39 – Creating a Psychologically Safe Environment
38:54 – The Impact of Psychological Safety on Performance
45:06 – Equity Leaders and Next Gen Men: A Dual Approach
51:01 – Engaging Youth for Future Change
57:13 – Decentering Conversations for Better Understanding
Connect with us on LinkedIn and check out monthly episodes of Ore-atory: Elevating Mining Minds on Apple Podcast or Spotify, where we continue to explore the mining industry workspace.
Tune in and be part of the conversation that’s shaping the future of mining!
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