E20/S2 MAKE SPACE - Give other people the psychological space and confidence they need to be seen and heard

In this episode, "Make Space," Andrew discusses the importance of psychological safety in the workplace. He presents two stories showing how employees can feel reluctant to speak up,. Such reluctance can undermine collaboration and harm decision-making processes. A lack of psychological safety can also lead to an environment where employees feel like their opinions do not count.  Psychological safety promotes engagement, encourages people to speak up, and inspires creativity and ideas. Creating a psychologically safe workplace is one of the best ways to inspire employees to be fully present at work, feel safe and valued, and less likely to leave the company.

To contribute to creating a psychologically safe workplace, Andrew suggests that you need clarity about your role, show concern for team members, actively solicit questions, show value and appreciation for ideas, and engage in positive dialogue and discussion.  Additionally, you need to respect and encourage colleagues to speak up, counter any negativity by others, and watch for hidden boundaries that may be preventing colleagues from speaking up.  A lack of psychological safety affects people's performance by undermining collaboration, harming decision-making processes, and creating an unsupportive and unsafe environment.

 

Can't wait for Series 2 to run its course? Then buy Andrew's new book, published on Amazon, and there's also an Audio version. Further reading and videos: Andrew recommends some useful follow-through material which you can find for each episode at

www.myhappinessatwork.com/reading/categories/research-reading

and

www.myhappinessatwork.com/watch. BOOK: The 50 Ways to Succeed at Work book is a standalone companion to Andrew Leigh's weekly podcasts. It's an essential resource for all job starters and those at work for a few years. Dip in and out and take what seems helpful.

www.myhappinessatwork.com/book