Good leaders create environments where people can voice their ideas and concerns, take risks and admit mistakes without fear of negative consequences.
This is often not the case and is easier said than done.
⚠️ Ineffective processes, unclear expectations, lack of support and open communication make people feel unsafe at work.
If team members feel unsafe, this impacts collaboration, innovation, and growth. They will not give their best.
Psychological safety is a key factor for well-functioning teams.
The lack of safety creates stress and anxiety, inhibiting brain functions that allow us to broaden our perspective and be creative in problem-solving.
Today's organisations and leaders must actively work to enhance their teams' sense of safety, not just alleviate the symptoms with anti-stress and wellness programs.
Based on Timothy R. Clark's framework described in his book "The Four Stages of Psychological Safety", there are 4 distinct yet intertwining and complementary aspects or stages team members go through in their quest for safety at work,
Here's a quick checklist to ensure that you, as a leader, are doing everything possible to cultivate safety in your team:
- 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻. Do your team members feel they belong and are a part of the team?
- 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴. Can and do they ask questions and address complex issues? Are they allowed or motivated to experiment, make small mistakes and ask for help if needed?
- 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Are they keen to contribute their own ideas? Do they actively share their viewpoints and perspectives without fearing embarrassment or ridicule?
- 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲. Can they question and challenge others' ideas (including those in authority)? Do they suggest new alternatives?
Keep in mind that those stages are not necessarily linear.
Your team members may navigate them in a different order or skip stages, depending on the context.
Your role as a leader is to understand your team's dynamics and effectively empower your people to feel safe so they can perform at their natural best.
Safety is no binary on/off switch. It requires continuous, intentional effort.
You may not spot the positive changes at first. However, the long-term effects will be an "aha" moment worth striving for.
If you’re ready to transform your leadership style from reactive to proactive and achieve greater impact with your team(s) - with personalised, context-specific support, let's talk ⤵️
It’s free and can provide immediate insights and actionable next steps, regardless of your decision to work with me as your coach.
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