In August 2017, HBR published an article written by Laura Delizonna that I shared on LinkedIn today: “High Performing Teams Need Psychological Safety. Here’s How to Create It”.
What a powerful article – please read it and consider how your approach to leadership might need to change or evolve to guarantee success.
Psychological safety is so important for success – it allows the best to come out of your team. But environments of psychological safety are not employed enough – let alone endorsed – by many senior leaders; particularly those in struggling organizations. How many of you reading this feel like psychological safety exists in your organization?
That lack of psychological safety is why I think this HBR article is so important to read, reflect on, and activate within each of us. It can be a mighty game changer in business and in life; and it starts with each of us.
The first line of this article says it all: “There is no team without trust”.
Let’s look at the “how-to” steps defined in this article, reflect on our personal experiences, and decide that we will do it differently as leaders in our own right – rather than the way it’s being done outside of us:
Approach conflict as a collaborator, not an adversary.
It is said that you learn a lot about a person by their reaction when you have an opinion that is different than theirs. Have you experienced criticism to your point of view? In your actions towards others, let your reaction be to embrace different points of view – this will enrich your perspective as you collaborate with your team towards true success.
Speak human to human.
Are you made to feel that there is a hierarchy that diminishes your point of view or contribution? Don’t let that be the way you react. Instead, consider this “just like me” exercise in this article in order to treat all with integrity and respect. The result will be trust: and trust helps team members to be energized and engaged. Stephen Covey said it best: “Nothing is faster than the speed of trust”.
Anticipate reactions and plan countermoves.
There is a saying I like: “defensiveness is not a position of strength”. But perhaps planning your defense can be. Whenever we communicate, we need to do it empathically. It’s not just about communicating your message. It’s about communicating it so that the recipient understands it the way you intended it to be understood. So think about possible reactions and objections and how you will respond – based on what you know about your specific audience. Communicating like this requires more thoughtfulness and less reactiveness.
Replace blame with curiosity.
How many times have you heard as a response to a mistake: “who did it”? We need our teams to be able to tell us things – both positive and not so positive. Let’s not be the ones who respond with blame and criticism when a mistake is brought forward. We will be in far worse shape if our teams stop bringing things forward because of the fear that bad leaders instill. As leaders, we need to know what is going on. Therefore the environment we present must be one of safety to report, and we must take on a learning mindset to what has occurred, not a judgmental one. It can be hard but be open to the conversation – instead of closed because you believe you already know the answer.
Ask for feedback on delivery.
Do you feel safe asking for feedback? Does your leadership ask you how you feel they did? It takes a courageous and highly confident individual to be open to feedback. Regardless of what you experience, be the leader that is constantly growing though multiple means, including growth by soliciting feedback from your team. There are some that feel seeking feedback from the team is a presentation of weakness. But it is actually a position of strength and an opportunity for educating them that a leader is always growing and considering if they are effective in what they want to convey – and it is also a show of trust in your team.
Measure psychological safety.
Does anyone ask you how you feel? Do you sense that they really want to know the answer to that question? This last step urges leaders to check in and make sure that this safety still exists so that your team can continue to be highly engaged and motivated.