Understanding Human Dynamics and how to change a Culture

In the realm of cognitive psychology, understanding human error and human dynamics is crucial for creating a positive work environment and achieving success. Let's take a moment to reflect on the story of Samuel Pierpont Langley as an example. While many may not be familiar with his name, Langley's pursuit of flight illustrates the profound impact that vision, or the lack thereof, can have on both individuals and their endeavors. Langley, armed with ample resources and government grants, aimed to be the first to achieve flight for personal achievement, fame, and fortune. On the other hand, the Wright brothers were driven by a vision to change the world through flight. Their purpose resonated with people, inspiring them to invest their time, energy, and resources in the brothers' mission, even though they had limited means. This demonstrates that vision and purpose fuel innovation in ways that a mere abundance of resources cannot.

It all starts with a vision and purpose for a better world in workplace environments and my vision stems from personal experiences. I witnessed my father, who worked for a large aerospace company, endure frustration, disengagement, and underappreciation. He faced frequent layoffs, financial instability, and hardships, which eventually permeated our family life. Unfortunately, such issues are all too common in the industry. Marital and family problems often arise because of the way the workforce is treated. The toxic environment created by profit-centric leadership leads to a domino effect of frustration and disengagement that employees bring home with them. This cycle needs to be broken.

Let's delve into a powerful equation that can revolutionize aerospace manufacturing and potentially the world itself: B = f (P, E). This equation, designed by Kurt Lewin, a pioneer in modern-day sociology, has been around since 1938, yet its significance is only now being recognized. By altering the environments in which we work, we can effortlessly transform the behavior of our teams. This equation holds the key to transforming aerospace manufacturing culture and revolutionizing the way we conduct business.

In recent years, employee loyalty has diminished due to the elimination of pensions and other company-provided benefits. In response, leadership has often resorted to an authoritative and controlling management style, creating a fear-based environment where employees feel voiceless and psychologically unsafe. Unfortunately, such environments foster an increase in quality defects, workplace injuries, and a decline in employee engagement and satisfaction.

To mitigate human error and create a more productive and fulfilling work environment, we must focus on transforming the culture of aerospace manufacturing. This entails cultivating an atmosphere of trust, open communication, and psychological safety. By empowering employees, fostering their autonomy, and valuing their contributions, we can inspire a sense of purpose and motivation. Moreover, investing in employee well-being and providing opportunities for growth and development will boost engagement and satisfaction, leading to improved performance and reduced errors.

Psychological safety, a concept that has often intimidated leadership, particularly in the manufacturing sector, is a game-changer when harnessed correctly. Many business leaders have mistakenly believed that prioritizing psychological safety would compromise accountability or require them to always be "nice." However, it's essential to understand that environments of the past, which were high on accountability but low on psychological safety, resulted in toxic and potentially volatile workplaces. In such environments, individuals are incentivized to conceal the truth and are discouraged from making mistakes and contributing their ideas. Ultimately, environments with low accountability and low psychological safety fail to perform and improve. The optimal environment, therefore, fosters both high accountability and high psychological safety.

Creating a work environment with high psychological safety begins with building a foundation of inclusive safety. This level focuses on developing a sense of safety and inclusion within teams, laying the groundwork for an engaged workforce. Recognize the human need for belonging and create a team or family atmosphere that promotes internal feelings of safety. Exceptional leaders can extend this level to a larger scale by uniting multiple departments under a common vision and clear goals, fostering empathy and pride in each department.

The second level of psychological safety is feeling safe to learn. Learning something new inherently involves stress and the discomfort of feeling inadequate or unknowledgeable. To cultivate this level, establish structured learning environments that make the learning process less daunting and stressful. Regularly bring the team together for structured meeting times dedicated to learning, emphasizing the importance of learning from mistakes and encouraging free interaction without fear of embarrassment. Utilize the adult learning cycle and cater the learning environment to the preferred learning style of the team. Surveys and team sensing sessions can help identify the most effective media for learning. Additionally, the leader's conduct during training plays a crucial role in reinforcing psychological safety and building a positive image of technical expertise. When the team perceives the leader as knowledgeable and compassionate, they feel safe to ask questions outside of formal training, improving the relationship between leader and learner.

The third level of psychological safety involves the ability to freely contribute. Companies often underestimate or fail to capitalize on the immense value of their employees' ideas. While there are examples of this done well in various industries, manufacturing has been slower to embrace it. Companies like Barry Wehmiller and Pixar stand out as inspiring examples of empowering contributions from employees. Leaders must incentivize and empower teams during group meetings, viewing each interaction where an idea is shared as an opportunity to increase the psychological safety of the organization. Unfortunately, there are still too many poor examples in aerospace management, but the need for change is paramount. By creating an environment where people feel safe to share ideas and foster innovation, we can revolutionize the aerospace industry.

The fourth and most crucial level of psychological safety is the safety to challenge. Employees should feel comfortable challenging their leaders' decisions, existing processes, and ideas they perceive as poor choices. Leaders cannot be expected to know everything, and blindsides are common. By cultivating an environment where teams and employees feel safe to respectfully challenge their leaders, collaboration ensues, ensuring that all potential perspectives and effects of decisions are considered. This enables leaders and organizations to make sound, well-informed choices. Engaging teams and inviting their feedback on business strategy or decisions empowers them and strengthens the bond within the team. When everyone has had the opportunity to contribute their thoughts, decisions are more likely to succeed.

Psychological safety is not a luxury but a necessity for creating a thriving work environment. By embracing and implementing the four levels of psychological safety—inclusive safety, feeling safe to learn, the ability to freely contribute, and the safety to challenge—we can transform our organizations. Let us strive for a future where leaders inspire trust, employees feel valued and empowered, and innovation flourishes.

When psychological safety is fostered at all levels within a company, remarkable changes occur. Employees become more engaged, fearless in their pursuit of solutions, and unencumbered by the fear of retribution for mistakes. Instead of self-preservation, they focus on resolving issues and contributing to the greater mission. In such an environment, leadership can direct their attention towards addressing real problems, while teams actively participate in these endeavors. The emergence of blindsides in leadership decisions is curtailed, and open discussions and continuous learning thrive in an environment rich in psychological safety.

Now, the path to transforming an environment, particularly in the manufacturing industry, is undoubtedly challenging. However, it is not insurmountable. Allow me to draw your attention to Kurt Lewin's groundbreaking work in 1938. He provided us with a mathematical equation, a formula that embodies the essence of human leadership and paves the way to enhanced manufacturing and a better world.

Additionally, we are indebted to Amy Edmondson for her invaluable framework and concepts surrounding psychological safety. Through her teachings, we can drive improvements in metrics and employee engagement, forging a path toward success. Furthermore, Edward Deming's framework for enhancing quality and decision-making holds significant importance. But, above all, he highlighted the paramount significance of safety and the urgency to address and rectify issues promptly. Although initially met with resistance and skepticism in American manufacturing plants, Deming found a receptive audience in Toyota, and his methods contributed to Toyota Corolla surpassing Rolls Royce in quality ratings during the 1980s.

Let us not forget Everett Rogers and his Law of Diffusion of Innovations, which offers us yet another roadmap to genuine cultural transformation. Regrettably, many companies perceive culture change as a fleeting marketing campaign, a mere "flavor of the month." This approach is fundamentally flawed and contributes to the lack of sustainability in these initiatives. By employing the Law of Diffusion, leaders can employ surveys and polls to gauge the current state of their work environment. This principle suggests that within any group, a standard deviation occurs. Approximately 15% are considered "innovators" and "early adopters," while 16% are "laggards," resistant to change. The middle group consists of the "early majority" and "late majority," who embrace change when they witness tangible results or sustained efforts. True cultural shift and market infusion occur when roughly 25% of the population begins to align with and embrace the change. At this juncture, the wave of transformation gains momentum, resembling a tidal wave of progress. Leaders can assess the success of their efforts through regular surveys, ensuring constant evolution and improvement.

Leaders must acknowledge that not every action will yield immediate success. Just as it is crucial to normalize mistakes and learning within the organization, leaders must extend the same understanding to themselves. If a change initiative fails, it is essential to pivot and explore alternative strategies. Embrace change, embrace evolution.

Human beings have an inherent inclination towards routine and structure. We find comfort in habits, and even when change brings positive outcomes, adapting can be arduous. Genuine culture change is exceptionally difficult and sometimes requires a leap of faith. As leaders, we must comprehend that resistance to change exists at all levels of an organization. It takes courage—the courage to persist even in the face of skeptics and resistance, even when some believe failure is inevitable. This is the embodiment of true leadership—maintaining unwavering belief in people.