The difference is psychological safety.
Take a look at these signs that you’re a fragile leader.
• Cannot be challenged.
• Hides mistakes.
• Never admits personal failures
• Refuses to ask for help.
• Steals credit.
• Shoots the messenger of bad news.
• Weighs in first with their opinion.
• Can’t bear silence.
• Won’t utter the words, “I don’t know.”
• Has underdeveloped asking and listening skills.
• Brings conversations back to them.
• Fishes for compliments and admiration.
• Hides behind title, position, and authority.
Fragile leaders lack the skills they need to lead the organization. Instead, they get in the organization’s way.
A leader’s most important job—above that of creating a vision and setting strategy—is to act in the role of social architect and nourish a context in which people can feel
(1) included,
(2) safe to learn,
(3) safe to contribute, and
(4) safe to challenge the status quo—all without fear of being embarrassed, marginalized, or punished in some way.
The way you approach psychological safety will define
the way you value human beings and your relationships with them.
It will define the way you draw people out or shut them down,
create confidence or induce fear, encourage or discourage.
It will determine how you lead and influence others.
hashtag#psychologicalsafety
hashtag#leadershipdevelopment
hashtag#4stages
10 tiny moves to build psychological safety:
Imagine:
A solution silenced by doubt
Innovation, killed by insecurity
A brilliant idea, trapped behind fear
This happens:
– Every day
– In every meeting
– Across every organization
Here are 10 practical moves that change everything:
1. The Permission Giver
Supports the testing of concepts if only partially formed
↳ Use “yet”: The following has not been done yet
↳ Always ask for more information when an idea is brought up
2. The Emotion Acknowledger
Make emotions at work normal and not awkward
↳ Use phrases like ”I heard/understood you saying”
↳ Schedule 5-min emotion check-ins before making decisions
3. The Safety Builder
Shows that vulnerability is the new strength
↳ Start presentations with lessons learned
↳ Create the “challenge-solution-growth” kind of storytelling
4. The Fear Crusher
Transforming the unseen fears into noticeable solutions
↳ Break each fear into actionable chunks
↳ Come up with “fear-busting pairs”
5. The Trust Creator
Creates trust by small, but reliable behaviors
↳ Write “I noticed” appreciation messages
↳ Have Coffee meetings at random times
6.The Silence Interpreter
Gets what is not said
↳ Make sure everyone gets a turn to input
↳ Send questions 24 hours before meetings
7. The Bridge Builder
Tells the stories of how people and ideas come together
↳ Identify the team’s contribution network
↳ Make sure that you celebrate the team’s wins specifically
8. The Mistake Normalizer
Turns defeat into victory
↳ Start Mondays with “Weekend Learnings”
↳ Write a failure resume as a team
9. The Space Holder
Leaves enough space for the growth to occur
↳ You can introduce “Think Tanks” which are quiet zones
↳ Set up “Processing Hours” after a big event has occurred
10. The Culture Guardian
Maintains the environment so that others can thrive
↳ Introduce “Safety Signals” for every meeting
↳ Introduce “Reset Rituals” after tension
Remember
Safety can’t be done with big gestures!
It is made of:
– daily decisions
– small fragments
– small permissions
– small acknowledgments
Which of these practical moves are you going to implement in the following week?
Please repost to help others increase psychological safety. Thanks!
Follow Eva Gysling, OLY for more like this.
Make learning a daily habit.
Here’s a simple guide to building a learning organization.
1️⃣ Set a Clear Vision
++ Define your mission with purpose.
++ Link team goals to a culture of growth.
++ Spread the vision across every team.
2️⃣ Empower Leadership
++ Train leaders to inspire learning.
++ Encourage coaching and open talks.
++ Let curiosity lead the way.
3️⃣ Embed Learning in Strategy
++ Tie learning to core goals.
++ Focus on skills needed tomorrow.
++ Back your plans with learning budgets.
4️⃣ Create Feedback Loops
++ Survey progress often.
++ Act on ideas from all levels.
++ Make feedback a routine habit.
5️⃣ Grow Problem-Solving Skills
++ Teach structured tools to solve issues.
++ Use root cause analysis often.
++ Apply solutions through steady cycles.
6️⃣ Build Knowledge Systems
++ Centralize access to vital resources.
++ Keep knowledge alive and updated.
++ Share best practices with smart tools.
7️⃣ Foster Collaboration
++ Form teams across functions.
++ Promote learning between peers.
++ Share wins to inspire growth.
8️⃣ Encourage Experimentation
++ Start small and adapt fast.
++ Invest in innovation.
++ Celebrate fresh ideas often.
9️⃣ Measure Impact
++ Track key learning metrics.
++ Assess skill gains and project wins.
++ Share your success openly.
🔟 Use the Right Tools
++ Offer checklists for smoother onboarding.
++ Leverage digital learning platforms.
++ Apply tested frameworks for results.
Like this? Share ♻️ to help others and follow me, Sergio D’Amico for more insights on continuous improvement and organizational excellence.
📌 P.S. Small actions spark big changes. Which step will you try first?
