The Hatchet Lady and a Snake in the Grass: Our Journey from Fierce Accountability to Human Performance

Lynn Huckabee, Georgia Power Company, and Stephanie Swindle, Southern Company

Once known across their organizations as the “Hatchet Lady” and the “Snake in the Grass,” Stephanie and Lynn had reputations for swift discipline and tough accountability. But their journey took an unexpected turn. Through experience, reflection, and a few hard lessons, they discovered a more powerful approach to driving results—one rooted in learning, collaboration, and understanding human performance.

Lynn and Stephanie will share how they traded reaction for response, blame for curiosity, and control for connection. They’ll reveal how involving those closest to the work in event analysis and solution development leads not only to better outcomes but also to stronger teams and safer operations.