As a leader, you want to create a culture of trust, openness, and feedback in your team. But how do you make a safe space for your followers to share their thoughts, feelings, and ideas without fear of judgment, criticism, or retaliation? Here are some tips to help you foster a more inclusive and supportive environment for your followers.
The first step to creating a safe space is to clarify what you expect from your followers and what they can expect from you. Communicate your vision, values, and goals for the team, and explain how you will measure and reward performance. Also, set some ground rules for respectful and constructive communication, such as listening actively, acknowledging different perspectives, and avoiding personal attacks.
As I have grown in my leadership while mentoring, I have found transparency and regular, genuine communication while getting to know my team members individually, grows our professional relationships. By stating and reiterating what my expectations are and always making time for my team members, has earned their respect. Allowing others to speak their "professional" truth and opinions without being judgmental has also been appreciated by my team members and enabled us to flourish in our work space.
The second step to creating a safe space is to show your followers that you are willing to be vulnerable and authentic with them. Share your own challenges, mistakes, and learnings, and ask for their feedback and input. Demonstrate that you value their opinions and insights, and that you are open to learning from them. By being vulnerable, you can build trust and rapport with your followers, and encourage them to do the same.
Complacency, pride, and ego are the leading factors that dehumanize a leader. In the battle for the hearts and minds of our followers, leaders must have the courage to remove their armor and display their vulnerabilities, and subsequently, express their humanity. A leader’s armor is a representation of their position and authority, and when a leader bluntly relies on that armor for protection, primarily against commitment, criticism, and competence, they become guarded, distant, and apathetic. Leadership is a relationship-based process that lives on a reciprocal scale, and despite popular opinion, the follower and their perceptions are just as important as the leader in this relationship.
It is vital when building new and strong teams to always ask for feedback and input while also sharing the reasons or "why" the current situation or process was implemented. By listening and taking time to seek diverse opinions from others has fostered trusting professional relationships with them. Having empathy also encourages our team to continue building trust. This allows us to learn from our mistakes and continue to grow professionally.
The third step to creating a safe space is to invite your followers to participate and contribute to the team's success. Ask them questions, solicit their ideas, and recognize their achievements. Create opportunities for them to collaborate, learn, and grow with each other. Provide them with the resources, support, and autonomy they need to do their work effectively and creatively. By encouraging participation, you can empower your followers and make them feel valued and engaged.
Having a safe space that allows your team to grow and share is important in the workplace. The contributions of all, along with recognition when excellence is exhibited makes everyone feel valued and appreciated fully. Having space where team members can share their strengths and skills that may not be widely known, can boost the confidence of professionals and increase morale across the team and ultimately across an organization or company. Energy, engagement and creativity is encouraged and celebrated on the team!
The fourth step to creating a safe space is to respond positively and constructively to your followers' input. Thank them for sharing, acknowledge their points, and give them constructive feedback. Avoid dismissing, interrupting, or contradicting them, or making assumptions about their intentions or motivations. If you disagree with them, express your disagreement respectfully and explain your reasoning. By responding positively, you can show your followers that you respect and appreciate them, and that you want to help them improve.
The fifth step to creating a safe space is to address any issues or conflicts that arise in your team. Don't ignore or avoid them, as they can erode trust and morale. Instead, address them promptly and fairly, and involve your followers in finding solutions. Listen to their concerns, empathize with their feelings, and validate their experiences. Seek to understand the root causes of the issues, and work together to resolve them. By addressing issues, you can prevent them from escalating and harming your team's performance and culture.
The sixth and final step to creating a safe space is to review and improve your practices and outcomes regularly. Ask your followers for feedback on how you are doing as a leader, and how the team is doing as a whole. Celebrate your successes, and identify your areas for improvement. Implement changes and actions based on your feedback, and monitor their impact. By reviewing and improving, you can ensure that you are meeting your followers' needs and expectations, and that you are creating a safe space that fosters growth, innovation, and excellence.
Trust is a two-way street A safe space which is co-created by the leader and the followers. But the first step is taken by the leader by providing non-judgemental listening. But since this experience is generated by both; the responsibility lies with black to transfer into legacy.
? Complacency: Be the example and set a standard of excellence for others to emulate. Your men and women will not take the hill if you’re simply yelling commands from the safety of the rear; lead from the front, and when you can’t, follow diligently. ? Pride: You’re not always right, and that’s a good thing. The true strength of any team lies within its individual members, and to unlock that strength, a leader must remove the constraints of micromanagement and allow adequate space for individuals to grow. ? Ego: Nothing is accomplished alone, and success is a team effort. We must never lose sight of the fact that we are only as good as the men and women who follow us; alone, we are no more than an individual who solely possesses a vision.