Not Safe For Work
Over the years, I learned that psychological safety meant slightly different things for different people. I learned that because psychological safety meant different things for me.
With some of the teams and managers I worked with, I was able to express myself however I liked. I was able to ask for help and share challenges I'm facing and risks I've taken. There were other times where any uncomfortable conversation or an opposing opinion was NSFW (Not Safe For Work).
So I eventually learned to recognize elements in my environment that I thought was toxic, unhealthy and not psychologically safe for me. Those elements can be in the macro (organizational culture) or the micro level (team's culture).
My Three Red Flags
1???Micromanagement — When I feel that every move I make is being scrutinized, I'm less likely to take risks, share ideas or be creative. It strips me off of my individuality and autonomy. It often is communicated as a way to "standardize" the work or as a "training" or "coaching" technique.
2?? Blame — Especially for new and junior team members, blame can be very "toxic" and off-putting. Rather than focusing on identifying the issue with the process, some teams try to cast blame on individuals. In return, I'm terrified of owning up to my mistakes because I'll be outcasted, singled out for criticism.
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3?? Exclusion — This one is my "favourite", so to speak, because it is so hard to identify and even harder to call out. I might be excluded from a conversation or not considered for a promotion due to conscious and unconscious biases relating to my gender, ethnicity, age, or other characteristics.
My $0.02: Psychological safety seems like something in your head, something that is within your control, because, oh well, you can control your thoughts. However, prolonged exposure to toxic work environments can have real physical consequence just as much as physical danger.
“Finding out that you are wrong is even more valuable than being right, because you are learning.”?―?Amy C. Edmondson,?The Fearless Organization
Which working cultures do you avoid today? How do you identify them when you interview for a job or a company?
Tell me more in the comments!
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1 年Great article Heba A., and I agree - no amount of "don't take it personally" can prevent confidence erosion in a toxic workplace. I've found in larger organizations, these environments can be localized to the department level, but the buck usually stops at the top. Leaders cascade, enable and even encourage bad behaviour if it serves them. A key insight/questions for me has been: How long has your leader been reporting to his or her boss? Has it been most of their career or have they had a few leaders to learn from (both good and bad)? How are mistakes handled in your organization? Describe the last time something failed, what happened - how was it handled, how was it resolved?