Navigating Critical Conversations: The Safety Net of Psychological Safety

It is the first day back at work after a long Christmas break. Everyone around the table is nodding in agreement with the boss’s latest and quite frankly, not-so-brilliant idea. You have data that shows that their idea will bomb dismally but the room feels filled with tension. You look around at the disconcerted faces with fake smiles and awkward head nods.  Sound familiar? Enter the world of critical conversations and the importance of psychological safety.

Firstly psychological safety isn’t about creating a workplace where everyone is wrapped in bubble wrap and given participation trophies. It's about cultivating a culture where team members feel safe to speak up, share ideas, admit mistakes, and ask questions without fearing ridicule or retribution.

Secondly, what's a critical conversation? It's not just chit-chat by the coffee machine or the classic "How was your weekend?" It's the tough stuff—the discussions that can change the course of projects, careers, and even lives. Think feedback sessions, addressing performance issues, or brainstorming the next steps in a complex business problem.

The magic (or disaster) of these conversations lies in how they’re handled. Get it right, and you've built a stronger team. Mess it up, and you might find yourself googling “how to apologize profusely” at 2.00 AM.

Real Safety

Creating psychological safety isn't just about putting a “safe space” sticker on the office door. It's about genuine actions, not just words.  So many times I hear ‘oh this is a safe space’ and the moment you walk out the door you feel the knives digging into your back. 

Let’s look at some tips to not only get you started, but tips that we need to ensure are modelled by everyone in the organisation, all the time:

1. Listen Actively: Give your full attention. Put down the phone, close the laptop, and listen like your next vacation depends on it. This shows respect and values the speaker's perspective.
2. Acknowledge and Affirm: Even if you think Bob’s idea of installing a slide from the office to the parking lot is a bit out there, acknowledge his creativity. Encouraging ideas, no matter how wacky, can lead to breakthrough innovations.
3. Embrace the Awkward: Let's face it—some conversations are just plain awkward. Embrace it. Use humour to lighten the mood but stay on track. “Well, this is uncomfortable, but let’s dive in” can break the ice and set a collaborative tone.
4. Model Vulnerability: Lead by example. Share your own mistakes and what you learned from them. It shows you're human and fosters an environment where others feel safe to do the same.
5. Show Empathy: Understand and acknowledge the feelings and perspectives of others. Empathetic leaders who show genuine concern for their team's well-being create a more supportive environment.
6. Provide Constructive Feedback: Offer feedback in a way that is constructive and helpful. Focus on the behaviour and its impact rather than the person. This encourages growth and improvement without creating defensiveness.  Using Situation, Behaviour and Impact as a framework works well here.
7. Promote Inclusivity: Ensure that everyone feels included and valued. Celebrate diversity and create an environment where all voices are heard and respected.
8. Recognise that Mistakes are normal: It is simply not possible to be perfect all the time. Treat mistakes as learning opportunities. Share lessons learned from failures and encourage others to do the same. This reduces the fear of making mistakes and promotes a growth mindset.
9. Foster Collaboration: Encourage teamwork and collaboration. Create a culture where people feel comfortable seeking help and offering support to one another.
10. Reward the right behaviours: Acknowledge when team members get the above right.  Make it public. “Thanks, Jim, for making this a genuinely safe place”, “Joanie I really appreciate the vulnerability you showed there, it isn’t easy when we make mistakes and you’ve done the right thing in asking for help”.

The trick with the above tips is ensuring they are part of the entire team culture.  Modelling the behaviours isn’t enough, we have to ensure that the whole team defaults to a psychologically safe environment.

Investing in psychological safety isn’t just a feel-good HR initiative; it’s good business. Teams with high psychological safety are more innovative, resilient, and adaptable. They’re not just surviving—they’re thriving.

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This article was written by Julie Wilson, Skills DG Facilitator and accomplished Agile coach.