Psychological safety is when our behaviour and performance are not inhibited by social fears
Interpersonal safety, or how psychologically safe people feel, is key to the flow of information through hierarchy or geography in all collectives we are part of. In systems where there are high levels of physical safety risk (agriculture, chemicals, forestry, construction, health, mining, etc), it is imperative there is a psychological safety leadership strategy to complement the elevation of physical safety.
Fear blocks us from growth by sending us uncomfortable thoughts and feelings. When we are faced with a decision about our unknown future, we look to our past for the security of the known. The known is easier for our fear voice to handle, even when not preferable.That is how the pull to the status quo sadly overides our desire for growth.
I caught myself feeling fearful last night as I pondered on an uncontrollable and unknown future. I turned to one of my most favourite tools to create a change in my state of mind;
Hope.
Hope is a way of thinking (hope is not an emotion). It is a way of thinking that can help us move out of the paralysis or the rumination of fear. It can help us either feel that we have control or give us a way that we can take control.
Once you find your simple straplines, see how they determine your understanding, predictions, and choices. Look to see…
We look at the world through patterns and templates in an attempt to understand our complex environment: This leads to that; This means that; This looks like that.
When starlings are in a murmur, they look only at the seven birds within their immediate range of sight. By doing so they create their seemingly magical flowing shapes with ease. In the tiniest of moments, a message is hurtled throughout the whole flock and together the whole is created.
When I went to our local soccer team to register my son’s interest, it dawned on me that unconsciously I had not done the same for my two older girls. This was a pretty shocking realisation.
When fear becomes the loudest guest in our heads, it can work against us in the most destructive ways. The solution we chose to appease our internal fears varies.
If we cannot create self-safety for ourselves, we get triggered when our environment doesn't fit our needs. With an ever-changing environment, this makes for a lot of triggering!
I created these last week.
My teacher, artist Susie Raz has the most fascinating technique to help get us 'out of self-critic. She set up a bouquet and asked us to paint them twice, at the same time; yup at the same time!
How can we trust what people are saying is really from their voice? How can we trust that the things we read are sent with as much thought as we did before? What human-centered corners are likely to be cut in the increased efficiency we gain from AI?
I've been wearing a lot of sequins recently.
I think it is my age and I'm OK with that.
I feel I'm getting braver in the 'right' places as I get older.
Psychological safety is the known essential ingredient in any high-performing team we know.
When you identify a regular trigger for a hot brain, create your own alcohol wipe mantra.
The key to managing stress is in recognising when you are stressed, understanding your stress triggers and allowing yourself space to respond to the stress.
Do we think that we would be better leaders than those who are leading us? Do we think that we are leading our own people better than our peers?