HERE AND NOW
Psychological Safety
There is a lot to fear in our world. Media headlines scream crisis everywhere and ensure we are well aware of all the potential catastrophes that could befall us. We have created cultures and environments where problems are magnified, wounds are prolific and our intimacy with one another is often centered around a collective injury that is both real and self-induced. Consider your most recent, common conversations. Do they bring out hope, possibility, and awe or do they continue to reinforce the narrative of crisis, drama, and devastation?
As a leader, you are asked to be the producer of outcomes, a psychologist and relationship guru, a communication expert, and the ultimate deliverer of all things for the function which you lead. You are tasked with what likely feels impossible.
And, in the process of being all things to all people, we have compromised, in some way, our humanity and that of others. The very humanity that ultimately lays a foundation for all the above. I find myself in the same position regularly. In working with leaders, there is always a balance between the business needs and the human needs; the outcomes we seek, and the health of the people who get us to the finish line.
What if we could embrace the paradox of our times; live with the internal conflict and react from a new center? The consequences when we embrace fear, either actively or unconsciously, are costly. When we choose fear, we minimize courage, we drive out trust and we eliminate safety. However, starting from a new center involves looking inward, becoming more self-aware, working to build trusting relationships, communicating transparently, and encouraging engagement in a different way. By doing these things, we can change the outlook and the outcome for our colleagues and our organizations.
This month’s newsletter offers some excellent tools for creating psychological safety in the workplace. For the past year, we have watched “The Great Resignation” take hold. Our employees have become more aware of the role work plays (or does not play) in their lives. The pandemic has allowed for new awareness, even if it’s unconscious, to enter about what contributes to our sense of identity, what we are willing to tolerate and sacrifice in our work and how we might live and work in new ways that are more rewarding.
Leaders have come to discover the critical importance of work and its need to connect to people’s values. Productivity has been redefined, employee engagement is starting to mean something different, and psychological safety is even more critical as a leadership skill. As you explore the resources in this month’s newsletter, start with yourself. All awareness begins with you and how you want to be different in this ever-changing world we live in.
DID YOU KNOW?
Teams that trust deeply share something in common, psychological safety, which is an environment where each individual is unafraid to speak up, share thoughts and opinions, or make mistakes without fear of criticism or reprisal. Why is psychological safety so important? Research has shown that employees that have psychological safety have higher job satisfaction, are more committed to the organization, and are less likely to seek employment elsewhere. Additionally, according to a study completed by Ecsell Institute, psychological safety also appears to impact a company’s bottom line. Managers whose skills are rated higher in areas like psych safety lead teams who average $4.3 million more in revenue per year. So how do you create a culture of psychological safety? The first step is to evaluate your current culture. Consider the following list. Do you exhibit these behaviors? Even minor reactions such as the following can limit psychological safety in the workplace. Do you:
- Raise your voice during situations of conflict or disagreement
- Engage in sarcastic tones and words
- Disregard others even in seemingly small ways
- Withhold information from certain individuals
- Nitpick the work of others
- Avoid eye contact
- Talk to employees about each other
- Postpone crucial conversations
We would love to provide you with the full assessment, please reach out to admin@innovativeconnectionsinc.com If you want to promote psychological safety, you and the other leaders in your organization must make it a priority to:
- Build trusting relationships
- Communicate often and with transparency
- Create a safe space for people to express their opinions
- Make mistakes part of the learning process
- Solicit and embrace differing perspectives
- Encourage creativity and innovation
Changing the culture of an entire organization is a daunting task; however, if leadership is committed to making this shift, it can be done. Engaging help from a company that specializes in Organizational and Culture Development can be integral to ensuring a successful outcome. Please contact us for a free consultation if you feel we can be of service.
GOOD FOR YOU
Realize Your Potential
The Leadership Circle Profile (LCP) provides valuable insights to help transform your leadership skills and improve your career path. This is a 360-degree assessment that collects feedback from your most important stakeholders, including your boss, peers, and employees. It provides critical information in a dynamic visual, illustrating how you are using leadership competencies in relationships, influence, and balance, and evaluates overall leadership effectiveness, all to support stronger performance. The profile measures both creative leadership competencies and reactive leadership competencies.
Creative leadership competencies contribute to a leader’s effectiveness. They measure key leadership behaviors and internal assumptions that lead to high fulfillment and high achievement, including:
- Relating
- Self-Awareness
- Authenticity
- Systems Awareness
- Achieving
Reactive Leadership Competencies reflect inner beliefs and assumptions that limit effectiveness, authentic expression, and empowering leadership. They include:
- Complying
- Protecting
- Controlling
Becoming aware of underlying thinking patterns that influence their actions and behavior, leaders gain insight into how they can change these patterns to make new choices and open new possibilities.
If you’re interested in learning more, contact us at admin@innovativeconnectionsinc.com. We’d love to discuss how this assessment can help you realize your goals and achieve success in both your personal and professional lives.
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