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Leadership Trust

Why Psychological Safety is Key Now

Over the coming weeks, organisations are beginning to plan the return to the office. It’s a complex situation with no single approach; and whilst there’s a focus on how many days should be spent in the office and what to do about workplace testing – the element of trust keeps on coming up for me.

Right now, we can build trust, which is key to creating psychological safety (a term coined by Amy Edmonson). Psychological safety is about creating an environment conducive to asking questions, making a mistake or speaking up, without the fear of punishment or negative consequences. Okay, okay – I hear you say. What’s this got to do with returning to the office?! Well, most organisations will be in the middle of considering working arrangements – hybrid or otherwise, which is a perfect opportunity for leaders to invite feedback, about the return to the office,  and ensure people know it’s safe to speak up. However, not everyone wants to speak up, because returning to the office is a provocative and emotive topic, for some; and people don’t want to be viewed as difficult to manage or negative either. So, leaders need to be proactive and intentional about inviting discussion.  As Edmonson  says, “make it more difficult for people to remain silent than to speak up, because you’ve issued those invitations”.

This article from 2013, shares the tragic event of the Asiana Airlines crash landing. The pilot, Lee Kang, had fears about his ability to land safely, but amongst other things, he didn’t speak up to avoid embarrassment. Whilst this is awful, I understand how this happens. I worked at a truly awful organisation with the highest levels of bullying and sickness absence I’ve ever witnessed. I went in confident and capable, but as a result of a toxic culture and leadership, came out a shell of a woman. After speaking up ,initially, about questionable employee practices and being ‘shot down’, I stopped sticking my head above the parapet or standing up for myself. I just didn’t feel safe enough to do it. I couldn’t see a way out, apart from leaving.

It’s fair to say, creating psychological safety isn’t straightforward; and it’s been made more complex (with the pandemic’s help) by the marriage of working life with non-working life, during the pandemic. With this intersection, conversations will continue to go beyond people speaking up about work issues – to conversations being much more personal in nature i.e. caring responsibilities, health issues, fears, relationship difficulties, financial challenges. However, I don’t think it’s about forcing people to disclose information, but instead making it safe for people to do so, if they wish. People will need reassurances the information shared won’t be used against them; and they will question whether they can trust you with the human moments of their lives. Oh and the response people get to disclosure is key. I remember sharing a deeply personal moment with a manager, who didn’t even respond to what I’d said. So, this isn’t easy terrain to navigate, but making it safe for people to speak and responding appropriately is key. There’s no one way to respond; we need to take each conversation as it comes. Some will simply want a listening ear; others will be seeking solutions etc.

In summary,  this is a time for leaders to be transparent about organisational  challenges and co-create a way forward. Being proactive and intentional will contribute to creating an environment where individuals can share their thoughts and emotions, without fear of negative consequences. Workplace discussion will touch on more personal topics; and how this is responded to will be key in maintaining psychological safety.

Think on this:

  • How can leaders reassure individuals that it’s safe to speak up; and to do so without fear of ridicule or negative consequences?
  • What support and guidance can be provided to leaders to navigate the intersection of work and non-work conversations?

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