People will tell you I’m an optimist, and I often go with my gut instinct. The idea of having a presence in Australia was exciting. My executive team all seemed to agree with me.
Or at least, they didn’t disagree.
After we’d launched – at significant cost – we soon realised it wasn’t the right location for us, and we had to pivot our strategy.
Afterwards, I discovered my team had had serious doubts from the start. I had unwittingly shaped a culture that focused so much on positivity and optimism that they didn’t feel comfortable voicing their concerns. They were worried about coming across as negative, when I was so positive about the move.
Since then, we’ve worked really hard on creating a culture where people feel they can speak up if they think something isn’t right, and they’ll be listened to. As a leader, it’s not always easy to hear people don’t agree with you! But it’s incredibly important, and ultimately the worst that can happen is you get a slightly bruised ego – and you could avoid a serious, costly mistake.
Psychological safety in an organisation sounds quite ‘soft’, but it’s really critical in a thriving business. It means people feel safe to speak out when they see something that’s wrong. They can take risks, and contribute ideas, and try new things, all of which could lead to something amazing in a business. Importantly, they won’t be rejected or punished if something goes wrong.
How do you know if you’ve got a culture of psychological safety?
Look at how your employees collaborate.
- Do they freely express their ideas, even if they contradict those of the rest of the group (across hierarchies)?
- Are these contributions listened to, considered and rewarded?
- Do you accommodate different styles of thinking and communication? (Some people, for example, might find it hard to come up with ideas in a group session, but be able to send you some brilliant ideas once they’ve had a chance to be alone to think things through.)
What leaders can do to support psychological safety
McKinsey quotes research by Frazier et al. that identified three key drivers of psychological safety:
- positive leader relations – leaders are supportive rather than authoritative
- work design characteristics – the way our work is designed and organised (for example, do we feel in control – like we have agency?)
- a positive team climate – we feel safe offering up ideas.
McKinsey did further research into this and found that a positive team climate was the most important factor. It also found that a “consultative and supportive” leadership style helped to create that positive team climate.
All of this starts with open, inclusive, and curious leadership. When leaders are willing to make themselves vulnerable, they model behaviour for the rest of the company.
