Center for Creative Leadership’s Post

To be a leader-coach, focus on boosting your self-awareness, showing vulnerability and empathy, and creating an environment of psychological safety.

Psychological safety is NOT just about being nice. It actually allows us to be more honest with each other without the fear of being hurt. Too many companies avoid the real issue. Psychological safety allows you to address them. 🧠💜 #businessmanagement #highperformingteams #psychologicalsafety  #management #teammanagement

What is Psychological safety? Over the past few months I’ve attended a number events where this was discussed. Whilst pretty much everyone agreed on its merit, there was a range of views, some of them conflicting, on what it is and how to create it. In my latest blog I explore my experience of Psychological Safety and why it is important when creating high-performing teams. I'd love to hear your thoughts. What does psychological safety mean for you, and how have you created it? https://lnkd.in/eTaEMkWb #coaching #psychologysafety #teamperformance

You know about pyschological safety...but do you know enough about it in your own organization? If you want to understand more about psychological safety in YOUR organization, there are three things I recommend: 1️⃣ Ask people what psychological safety means to them...listen carefully for what they are NOT saying as well as what they ARE saying. 2️⃣ Ask people questions to gauge if they feel psychologically safe. Be open to feedback and always take action on suggestions. 3️⃣ Observe how people interact to gain valuable insights. By combining direct feedback with careful observation, you’ll gain a comprehensive understanding of your team’s psychological safety. Once you have a good understanding of what is happening, you will want to move to creating a culture of psychological safety. Creating this culture requires more than just talking about it. It requires action. In order to take the correct actions, it's important to clear up some misconceptions with people... Coach people to understand that psychological safety is not: ❌ Being nice all the time ❌ Avoiding constructive feedback ❌ Making everyone feel comfortable all the time ❌ A once-off comment to people ❌ A sole focus on feeling safe Once that part is clear, it is important to communicate the correct actions and coach people (especially managers) to demonstrate them. These include: ✅ Showing team members it's safe to express their thoughts, ideas, and concerns, by not giving negative consequences. ✅ Encouraging team members to take risks and experiment with new ideas and treating mistakes as learning opportunities rather than failures. ✅ Giving feedback in a respectful, constructive manner and NEVER resorting to personal attack ( This destroys trust and respect faster than you can blink) ✅ Building trust and respect by being consistent, accountable, open, honest and empathetic. ✅ Ensure all voices are heard and respected by involving everyone in problem-solving and improvement discussions and ensuring great ideas are implemented. How do you actively assess and increase psychological safety in your organization? Leave your comments below 🙏 #psychologicalsafety #trust #leadership #leadershipskills #culture

I was asked today, ‘What do you actually talk about in your coaching supervision sessions?’ So, I thought I’d share a few examples of what kind of things comes up – and how supervision helps: 💫 We explore difficult client situations together, helping you find new ways to move forward. 💫 It’s a place to talk through boundaries, confidentiality, and ethical dilemmas that can sometimes feel overwhelming. 💫 You can discuss new tools and approaches to become even more effective. 💫 It’s a safe space to uncover blind spots and emotional triggers, deepening your own self-awareness which in turn means you can support your clients better. 💫 And it’s a place where you can be supported, manage stress, and stay balanced – preventing burnout and keeping your own well-being in check. Supervision really helps to keep you grounded, ethical, and resilient, so you can continue showing up as your best self for your clients. 🌱 Remember to take advantage of my "I'm Free Again Now the Kids are Back to School Offer" which is available until Friday 13th September. Buy two months at £250 per month and get a third month completely FREE! DM me for details and to sign up!

Here's a nice summary of what to do and not to do when trying to support feelings of psychological safety in teams #psychologicalsafety #leadershipskills #employeeengagement

Psychological safety is an office culture, so it’s important for leaders at the top to train and expect their managers to support their team as they make mistakes and learn from them to improve future outcomes. Read below for three ways create psychological safety for your team. https://lnkd.in/g42k_jN4 #emotionalintelligence #emotionalintelligencetips #psychologicalsafety #trust #baglady #lisadfostercoach

Have you ever wondered about the concept of Psychological Safety? You've heard about it, and you think you know about it, but you can't quite put your finger on what it really is... If so, you are not alone, as there are several myths around. Some that I've personally heard are -  ❌ Psychological Safety is being nice to each other all the time ❌ Psychological Safety can lead to mediocrity ❌ Psychological Safety can't exist in a High-Stakes environment These are just myths. If you would like to gain a deeper understanding of how Psychological Safety is a crucial element in high-performing cultures, especially in our increasingly complex and interdependent world, I highly recommend delving into Amy Edmonson's insightful book - 'Fearless Organisation'. 🌟 The book gave me some great insights into - 🌟 💡 What is Psychological Safety? "a shared belief that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking."  💡 How is it different from trust? Psychological Safety is a group-level construct, whereas trust is more 1:1. You can trust some people within the group but still find the group unsafe. So, while trust is essential, Psychological Safety encompasses a broader sense of belonging and openness within the team dynamic. 💡 Last but not least, how framing work as a learning experience and modelling curiosity helps create psychological Safety in groups. As a leader, are you willing to admit when you're wrong or uncertain? Do you actively seek out and listen to diverse perspectives? By demonstrating a commitment to continuous learning and exploration, you inspire your team to embrace curiosity and view challenges as opportunities for growth. Have you read 'Fearless Organisation'? What did you take away? #PsychologicalSafety #TeamCulture #LeadershipDevelopment #LeadershipCoaching #TeamCoaching #Books

As a leader, I am pretty sure the one thing you want for your people is for them to excel and bring the best version of themselves in the workplace. One way to do that is create psychological safety in your team. I know there are number of definitions out there from various experts in the field. For me, it’s really about creating an environment where people don’t feel judged or inadequate in anyway. Fine, I may have 5 or 10 years work experience, but that may not necessarily mean I know everything. Even I can be uncertain of my decisions or thought process on something. So, if I come to you as my line manager or one of your direct report comes to you for your guidance or support, it’s your duty to listen and guide them, without making them feel inadequate. If you don’t do this, guess what? They will refrain from letting you know stuff until it’s too late. By then the magnitude of the problem will be even bigger and you’ll wonder how and why your direct report decided to sweep it under the carpet. What’s my ask?? Don’t belittle people. Just because it’s so obvious to you, doesn’t mean it’s obvious to them. Instead, listen to them, guide them, and encourage them. They will learn from this experience and become even better professionals. Its like parenting. Would you turn your son/daughter away when they come to you for help? Check out this video on psychological safety I found on YouTube . I hope you learn from It. https://lnkd.in/dC4fHMn9

This read gets at the important nuance to ‘psychological safety.’ My 3 takeaways: - It’s about creating the conditions where discomfort drives growth vs. saying whatever’s on your mind - It’s a quality of a relationship vs. a climate or initiative in the organization - It comes from being curious about the unique experience of others vs. feeling responsible to fix others’ experience