How To Use Psychological Safety In Cultures That Grow

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Psychological safety precedes innovation, honest communication, agile behaviours, engagement and enables individuals to tap into hidden potential. All good things. Feeling psychological unsafe is in comparison, not a good thing. It results in fear, overthinking, under speaking and group think. All bad things. If we want to create a culture that grows, there is no advantage to people feeling psychologically unsafe.  

But interestingly, when it comes to tasks (rather than a global sense of safety), it's different.

It will often be helpful to growth if people are stretched and challenged in their tasks. By enabling a (supervised) level of task insecurity in a psychologically safe environment, we create the opportunity to learn and innovate. By challenging individuals with tasks, we create the space for a growth spurt in capability, empowerment and achievement, even if it is accompanied by discomfort.

When people are not stretching in tasks, there will be no growth, even in a psychologically safe environment. This is because people get comfortable, and comfortable has an impact on their efforts and their fulfillment.

So ...
growth zone = psychologically safe environment + task stretch
no growth zone = psychologically safe environment + no task stretch.
no growth zone = psychological unsafe environment.

Where are you and your colleagues?


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Dr. Amy Silver is an expert in effective conversations and human connection. She believes passionately that we have a responsibility to trigger growth in ourselves and others.
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