The benefits of Psychological Safety are something about better learning, better performance, better innovation, better engagement, better well being, better conflict resolution, better collaboration, and better resilience and adaptability towards change and complexity.
Fostering Psychological Safety in the Workplace
Welcome to a thought-provoking exploration from the Enneagram Insights Podcast on Psychological Safety.
In this first episode of the Enneagram Insights podcast miniseries about Psychological Safety, the host Flemming Christensen explores the concept of psychological safety in the workplace.
Episode 60 discusses what psychological safety is, why it’s critical to cultivate it, and how it can be implemented to enhance learning, performance, innovation, and well-being.
Christensen also talks about the importance of mutual respect, inclusivity, openness to mistakes, intention assessment, and leadership modeling.
The Benefits of Psychological Safety
In the podcast Flemming Christensen explains that when he engages with clients, their conversation often revolves around the importance of feeling safe psychologically, physically, emotionally, and cognitively.
But this raises another question – why does achieving psychological safety require effort?
The reasons are plentiful, including enhanced learning, better performance, innovation, engagement, well-being, conflict resolution, collaboration, and resilience against change and complexity.
These benefits are enticing, yet they naturally lead to the query: why isn’t this level of safety commonplace?
Assessing Readiness for Psychological Safety
It’s crucial to evaluate whether organizations possess the necessary maturity across teams and leadership to begin engaging with psychological safety.
In some cases, creating this readiness is a precursor to tackling the challenges of psychological safety, especially if a crisis necessitates immediate attention.
Key Components of Psychological Safety
1. Permission to Speak Up
A culture of psychological safety encourages individuals to express their thoughts without fear of punishment or career consequences.
2. Mutual Respect
Respect underpins trust and psychological safety.
It involves acknowledging differences and embracing a space where everyone’s personality and history are valued.
3. Inclusivity
True inclusivity means welcoming diverse ideas, beliefs, and assumptions, from various professions, cultures, and individual perspectives.
4. Openness to Mistakes
Learning from mistakes should be part of the organizational fabric. It’s about finding balance in experimentation and establishing frameworks for constructive feedback.
5. Trusting Intentions
Trust assumes that individuals are motivated by positive intentions. This approach helps in preventing misunderstandings and promoting a supportive environment.
6. Encouraging Risk Taking
Encouraging calculated risks can drive innovation and growth. We must support calculated courage without succumbing to naivety.
7. Clear Expectations
Establishing and understanding mutual expectations strengthens collaborations, enabling clarity in responsibilities and outcomes.
8. Leadership Modeling
Leaders play a pivotal role by embodying psychological safety principles, admitting their human fallibility, and living by the practices they preach.
9. Diversity of Thought
Acknowledging and fostering different cognitive processes can spark inventive solutions and deepen mutual understanding.
10. Emotional Intelligence
Leaning on frameworks like Daniel Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence can provide tools for enhancing psychological safety through empathy and self-regulation.
11. Autonomy and Skills
Granting autonomy, paired with the right skills and a sense of purpose, empowers individuals to act confidently within their roles.
Understanding and Implementing Psychological Safety in Teams
In episode 61 of The Enneagram Insights podcast, Flemming Christensen discusses the complexities of fostering a culture of psychological safety.
He explores the challenges of implementing this safety in environments of pressure, change, and complexity.
The episode delves into leadership blind spots, cultural biases, and the various personal and professional dynamics that can hinder psychological safety.
Christensen also introduces the Enneagram types and their potential in supporting or obstructing psychological safety.
The discussion emphasizes the importance of honest communication, leadership responsibility, and the need for authentic conversations to create a safe and thriving work environment.
Why use the Enneagram in team development
Conclusions on Psychological Safety
Fostering psychological safety is not straightforward, yet its rewards are immense according to Flemming Christensen.
By addressing the components mentioned, organizations can take significant strides in enhancing their environments for all members, ultimately leading to a more cohesive and innovative culture.
Future episodes will further explore Psychological Safety through the lens of the nine Enneagram types.
