So, here's eight realistic, practical things any business leader can be doing to promote a culture of psychological safety within their organisation, and you don't need a doctorate to put them into practice:
- Encourage open communication: One of the most important aspects of psychological safety is open communication. Encourage your employees to share their thoughts and ideas, and be sure to listen actively and respond with empathy. This can be done through regular team meetings, one-on-one check-ins, or even a suggestion box.
- Lead by example: As a leader, it's important to lead by example when it comes to psychological safety. Share your own fears and vulnerabilities, and encourage others to do the same. This creates a culture of openness and trust, and helps others feel more comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings.
- Create a safe space: To create a culture of psychological safety, it's important to create a safe space for employees to share their thoughts and feelings. This can be done by providing a comfortable and private area where employees can talk openly, or by creating a confidential online forum where employees can share their thoughts anonymously.
- Encourage positivity: Creating a culture of psychological safety also means encouraging positivity in the workplace. Make sure to recognise and reward employees for their good work, and create opportunities for team building and fun. This will help to create a positive and supportive environment, and will make employees more likely to share their thoughts and feelings.
- Address concerns promptly: If an employee raises a concern, take it seriously and address it promptly. Showing that you are responsive to employees' needs will help them feel safe sharing their thoughts and feelings in the future.
- Support employee development: Provide opportunities for employees to learn and grow, such as training and development programs. This will help employees feel more confident and secure in their roles and more likely to share their thoughts and feelings.
- Encourage feedback: Encourage two-way communication, where employees can give feedback to their colleagues and managers. This will help create a culture of trust and mutual respect.
- Show empathy: Finally, it's important to show empathy towards your employees. Show that you understand their fears and desires, and that you're there to support them. This can be done through regular check-ins, or by simply showing interest in their lives and well-being.
So, in summary, creating psychological safety in the workplace is essential for fostering open communication and encouraging employees to share their thoughts, fears, and desires. As a business leader, you can do this by leading by example, encouraging open communication, addressing concerns promptly, recognising and rewarding vulnerability, supporting employee development, and encouraging feedback.
Lean Six Sigma Black Belt I Driving Profitability Improvement Programs I Passionate Learner
2 年Excellent article Paul G. In these times when we hear about tens of thousands of people being laid-off, if Leaders can't create psychological safety, the remaining of the organization will also freeze in panic. It's time has come... Once again, very well written
Helping SMEs & and E-Commerce brands scale. Co-Founder of a Tech Startup (exited 2023) with a passion for everything 'Digital Marketing.'
2 年Great article, Paul ????
Passionate Revenue and Sales Enablement Consultant helping Revenue Leaders connect the dots between strategy and sales execution.
2 年Paul G. great article. It’s important for companies to adopt these principles and it’s equally important for job seekers to ask questions during the interview that test it. I’ve heard recently the question around, “How do you handle situations when someone makes a mistake?” It help you know if you are in a culture where psychology safety is important.
VP of Talent & Culture | Visionary Leader & Executive HR Consultant | Founder & Board Advisor | Strategic Investor| Lifelong Learner
2 年Great post Paul G.; I'm sure you know Timothy R. Clark, the author of "The 4 Stages of Psychological Safety". He taught me a lot as a coach when I worked at Riverbed and can recommend his book!