Leadership Two Words at a Time

CHAPTER 8

CREATE SAFETY

Promote Courage with Psychological Safety

If you had to choose between employees who comfortably played it safe and those who consistently acted with courage, who would you rather have reporting to you? The answer should be easy and obvious: you’d rather have courageous employees. However, in times of change and uncertainty, you’ll find that it’s common for people to hunker down and seek safety as they take stock of the shifting terrain. It’s also common during unstable times for fear to direct their behavior. They become distracted, suspicious, and unproductive. Here’s the rub: in today’s work world, change, uncertainty, and instability are constants. Meaning, a lot of workers are in a constant state of fear and safety-seeking. ...