What leader wouldn’t want a high performing team? A team that is focused on their goals, achieves stellar results, collaborates cross-functionally, and outperforms other teams.

Getting there all begins with your employees feeling as though they can safely take risks and be vulnerable at work. When your employees feel safe, you have the foundation to create a high performing team. Creating this environment doesn’t happen without you being intentional about the psychological safety of your team.

According to the Center for Creative Leadership, David Altman, “When you have psychological safety in the workplace, people feel comfortable being themselves. They bring their full selves to work and feel okay laying all of themselves on the line.” Psychological safety exists when the team has a shared belief that they can speak up without fear of being punished, that being candid and vulnerable is not only okay, it’s actually welcomed.

It’s likely that your company culture has played a part in the psychological safety within your team, and it would make sense if you felt overwhelmed about attempting to change the culture. But, you don’t have to change the company culture, it can start with you. You can get started by adding a couple skills to your leadership approach.

Intuitive Listening and Open Communications

Intuitive Listening

You have likely been told about the different levels of listening (if not, HERE is a resource), or maybe you have been told, “you are not HEARING me".” Listening isn’t as easy as we think. When you are listening at a high level, an intuitive level, you are able to receive the entire message that is being sent. You are able to pay attention to more than just the words, also feelings, tone and even what is NOT being said. The speaker will know that you have heard them because you are able to paraphrase back a deep understanding. This is the most effective level of listening. Building this skill and incorporating into your everyday conversations is a great place to start in creating an environment of psychological safety. It all starts with you demonstrating this behavior and then building the skill within each of your employees.

Open Communications

Having the opportunity to work in an environment with open communication is a basic need for employees. When you consider the expectations put on employees today - continuous change, being creative / innovative and constantly doing more with less, it's obvious how important it is to have open communications. I will highlight three critical components to driving an environment of open communications - Approachability, Respect, and Transparency.

• Approachability - this is everything from being present physically, to being polite, and empathetic.

• Respect - making sure your employees feel valued and important when you communicate with them.

• Transparency - being open and honest with your employees, making it easy for them to discuss difficult things with you.

Intentionally using these two skills will help you build competence and comfort. It is also the foundation to build from in creating an environment of psychological safety for your employees.

Other Resources

Don’t Overcomplicate the Best Management Practice: Coaching

Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead

Empowering Others: Core Coaching Skills

Are you looking for an engaging training program to build your leadership skills? Consider this self-paced course, Empowering Others: Core Coaching Skills

If you are interested in bringing this into your organization, let me know. I am happy to work with the appropriate person in your organization. This can also be delivered as a virtual training session for a group of leaders.