Kate Hogan’s Post

I recently came across this insightful article from Harvard Business Review on psychological safety: https://lnkd.in/gd3DSnSC Psychological safety is a critical component of a healthy workplace, yet it's often overlooked. My personal journey has shown me the stark difference it makes. In previous roles, the absence of psychological safety created an environment where speaking up was met with resistance, leading to significant stress and PTSD. The lack of support made it challenging to share ideas, raise concerns, or even contribute fully. Interestingly, I didn't fully understand what psychological safety was until I joined an organization where it truly mattered. As the article highlights, psychological safety is about creating a culture where employees feel safe to take risks and voice their opinions without fear of retribution. In my current role, this principle is deeply embedded in the organizational culture. Here, I feel heard, listened to, and respected. This supportive environment has transformed my professional experience, allowing me to contribute confidently and authentically. As the article explains, when team members feel psychologically safe, it leads to better problem-solving, increased creativity, and a stronger sense of community. My experience aligns perfectly with these findings. The ability to "see something, say something" without fear of negative repercussions has been empowering and beneficial for both my well-being and my work performance. Organizations that foster psychological safety not only enhance employee well-being but also drive innovation and productivity. I urge leaders and organizations to recognize the importance of psychological safety and to actively cultivate it within their teams. The benefits extend beyond individual well-being to create a thriving, dynamic workplace culture. #PsychologicalSafety #WorkplaceCulture #EmployeeWellbeing #Leadership #OrganizationalDevelopment #Innovation #Teamwork #MentalHealth

🌟 Celebrating Mental Health Month: Fostering Psychological Safety at Work 🌟 May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a perfect time for leaders to reflect on the importance of creating and maintaining psychological safety in the workplace. Often, as psychologist consultant, and team strategist, my work alongside leaders is to imbed the best practices of psychological safety into their leadership and culture. I believe that fostering an environment where team members feel safe to express themselves, take risks, and be vulnerable is crucial for an inclusive work culture. Celebrate mental health month year round by incorporating the following seven steps you’re your workplace culture to create and maintain psychological safety in your organization: 1. Promote Open Communication: Encourage honest and transparent dialogue. Make it clear that all voices are valued and respected, and create channels for feedback and discussion. 2. Model Vulnerability: Lead by example. Share your own challenges and mistakes to show that it's okay to be imperfect. This builds trust and encourages others to open up. 3. Foster Inclusivity: Ensure that every team member feels included and valued. Celebrate diverse perspectives and create a culture where everyone can contribute to their fullest potential. 4. Encourage Risk-Taking: Create a safe environment for experimentation and innovation. Let your team know that failure is a part of growth and learning. 5. Provide Supportive Feedback: Offer constructive feedback in a way that supports and encourages growth. Focus on the behavior, not the person, and provide guidance on how to improve. 6. Recognize and Celebrate: Acknowledge the achievements and efforts of your team. Regular recognition boosts morale and reinforces a positive, safe environment. 7. Be authentic: Teams can smell the "I'm following a checklist to say I've done this." over the authentic leader who actually is implementing these steps for real change. By prioritizing psychological safety, leaders can create a workplace that not only attracts and retains top talent but also drives engagement and productivity. This alignment with your organization’s mission and vision will lead to happier customers and a thriving workplace. While these seven steps may seem simple enough, leaders often struggle with implementing the strategy and change management tools necessary to make a sustainable shift. There is no need to do this alone! I am happy to help, or, if already working with a consultant or business coach, have them support you in this important leadership and team culture journey. This HBR article is also very helpful: https://lnkd.in/g6XNYzEt Let’s make mental health a priority this May and beyond! #MentalHealthMonth #PsychologicalSafety #InclusiveWorkplace #Leadership #EmployeeWellbeing #Thrive #mentalhealthawareness

Do you & your team feel safe at work? Safe to express emotion & to challenge? Not sure? -Take the test below. What is psychological safety? Team psychological safety is a shared belief that it’s OK to take risks, express their ideas & worries, to speak up & admit mistakes without fear of negative consequences. As Amy Edmondson puts it, “it’s felt permission for candor.” Test yourself if you are not sure:- ❓ On this team, I understand what is expected of me. ❓ I feel my ideas are valued & safe in suggesting them. ❓ If I make a mistake on this team, it is never held against me. ❓ When something goes wrong, we work together to find the causes. ❓ I can bring up problems and concerns. ❓ My team never reject others for being different & nobody is left out. ❓ It is safe for me to take an intelligent risk. ❓ It is easy for me to ask team members for help. ❓ My team would not deliberately act in a way that undermines my efforts. ❓ My unique skills and talents are valued and utilised on my team. Today, I am working with the team at Charlotte Wiseman to help a big team going through some big changes. I will be giving them some tips of how they can build psychological safety in their teams. #psychologicalsafety #wellbeinginwork

"... psychological safety may be the key to realizing the promise of diversity in teams". What Is Psychological Safety? Harvard Business Review article by Amy Gallo. The article looks at what psychological safety, why it is important, how to know if your team has it, and how to create pyschological safety. A good read. #PsychologicalSafety #teams #workplace https://lnkd.in/eEXYwD8u

These two techniques can help cultivate psychological safety at work. Here's how. http://f-st.co/iZDKCgH

Psychological safety. What is it and why is it important? According to dictionary.com, psychological safety is the "belief that you won't be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes. At work, it's a shared expectation held by members of a team that teammates will not embarrass, reject, or punish them for sharing ideas, taking risks, or soliciting feedback." I especially like this definition offered by Amy Edmondson in HBR "...permission for candor." (https://lnkd.in/egS9ZMJb) Fostering psychologically safe work environments is an important skill for leaders. But you may be wondering, how do you foster such an environment? 1. Ask for thoughts / feedback and listen! Nothing is worse than for someone to share their thoughts/ideas and for those ideas to not be heard or validated. Even if the idea cannot be implemented, acknowledgment goes a long way. 2. If you say you have an open door policy - truly mean it! If your team comes to you with concerns but you are never available or too busy at the moment, that could foster a feeling of isolation and despair, which leads to poor morale and lower productivity. Have your door, literal or proverbial, open as often as possible. 3. Check in regularly with your team. Asking your team members on a regular basis how they are doing with their projects and confirming they have what they need to succeed is critical to the success of any team. These are just a few tips but there are many out there to help leaders navigate this delicate topic. Cultivating an atmosphere where team members feel comfortable expressing ideas and concerns without fear cannot be built overnight but it can be built with one conversation at a time. What are some tips you've heard recently or that you have found to be effective when discussing psychological safety? 🗣 below.

Such a great article from Amy Gallo highlighting the work of Amy Edmondson and others. Thank you for providing such amazing resources. Revisiting (or introducing) a culture of psychological safety in the workplace may feel daunting and maybe even impossible if nothing has been done in this space. This is an amazing time of year to be doing this - establishing clear norms and expectations so that the stage is set for teams to productively move forward in an encouraging and supportive environment. This article steps you through the what, the why, the how and even the myths and what ifs! #psychologicalsafety #opencommunication #feedbackmatters #workplacewellbeing

🌟 Psychological safety is the belief that people will not be punished or humiliated for taking risks, sharing concerns, respectfully disagreeing, or making mistakes at work. It's a crucial component for a high-performing team. 💪 Benefits of creating a positive work culture: 🔹 Leads to teams feeling more engaged and understood.  🔹 Lead to better decision making. 🔹 Creates a culture of continuous learning and improvement. What to learn more? 🔗 Visit: https://lnkd.in/gvT6WxnT #PsychologicalSafety #WorkplaceWellbeing #TeamPerformance #InclusiveWorkplace 

Thriving teams need psychological safety. It's the belief that it's okay to take risks, share ideas, and admit mistakes without fear of retribution. Amy Edmondson's research underscores its impact on engagement, innovation, and decision-making. Let's foster environments where every voice matters and every individual thrives. #PsychologicalSafety #TeamSuccess

These 2 techniques can help cultivate psychological safety at work