Building an IBL Culture:
How National Grid Used Intent-Based Leadership
to Strengthen Safety, Trust, and Decision-Making
Building an IBL Culture:
How National Grid Used
Intent-Based Leadership
to Strengthen Safety,
Trust, and
Decision-Making
National Grid New York delivers gas and electricity to millions of customers across the state. Facing a fast-changing energy landscape and a complex operational environment, leaders wanted to build a culture where people thought, acted, and led with intent at every level.
Partnering with Intent-Based Leadership International (IBLI), National Grid NY embedded Intent-Based Leadership (IBL) principles across field operations, leadership teams, and frontline safety practices, creating lasting cultural and performance shifts.
Before:
Before adopting Intent-Based Leadership, National Grid NY's teams were highly capable but often constrained by traditional decision-making structures:
- Top-down decision flow slowed responsiveness and problem-solving.
- Limited psychological safety made people hesitant to speak up or challenge upwards.
- Safety ownership gaps persisted despite formal programs and compliance frameworks.
- Empowerment lacked clarity: Leaders told teams they were empowered—but few knew how to act on it.
After:
Since embedding IBL across the New York Gas business, National Grid NY has seen measurable transformation in leadership, safety, and engagement:
- +5 point improvement in decision-making effectiveness scores since 2024.
- 7 points above National Grid's overall average, 13 above high-performing norms, and 26 above the wider industry benchmark.
- Zero fatalities for several consecutive years.
- Lowest Lost Time Injury(LTI) rate in the company.
- Winner of the President's Award for safety.
- 75 volunteer Pathfinders trained as IBL champions - many now promoted into leadership roles.
- 200+ innovation ideas submitted for AI and automation initiatives, driven by empowered frontline teams.
"Our VP of Safety says,
'We already have a safety program
- it's called IBL.'"
— Cathy Wisniewski, VP at National Grid NY
Process:
National Grid NY's IBL journey blended executive commitment with grassroots ownership - creating a sustainable, self-reinforcing change:
Leadership Training: Senior leaders, including the COO, adopted IBL tools like the Ladder of Leadership and 3C Framework (Clarity, Competence, Control) to guide behavior and decision-making.
Pathfinder Program: 75 volunteers trained as IBL Pathfinders, serving as role models and coaches across departments.
Everyday Integration: IBL practices became part of job briefs, safety conversations, and performance reviews.
Psychological Safety First: Teams used open-ended questions and "speak up" practices to surface issues early and improve safety outcomes.
Continuous Learning: Leaders and field teams practiced clarity-building and intent statements - asking, "What do you intend to do?" instead of "What should I do?"
Cultural Reinforcement: Regular "IBL moments" in meetings and team huddles kept learning active and visible.
Conclusion:
Intent-Based Leadership has helped National Grid NY build a culture of clarity, competence, and confidence—where employees feel trusted to act and safe to speak up. From award-winning safety performance to stronger decision-making and leadership growth, the company has proven that when people lead with intent, everyone wins.
Intent-Based Leadership has helped National Grid NY build a culture of clarity, competence, and confidence—where employees feel trusted to act and safe to speak up. From award-winning safety performance to stronger decision-making and leadership growth, the company has proven that when people lead with intent, everyone wins.
"The Ladder gives us the how of empowerment.
IIt's changed the quality of conversations across the business."
— Cathy Wisniewski, VP at National Grid NY
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