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My guest for Episode #284 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Minette Norman, an author, speaker, and leadership consultant who previously spent decades leading global technical teams in the software industry.
Minette has extensive experience leading internationally distributed teams and believes that when groups embrace diversity in all its forms, breakthroughs emerge, and innovation accelerates.
Her most recent position before starting her consultancy was as Vice President of Engineering Practice at Autodesk.
Minette is a keynote speaker on inclusive leadership, psychological safety, collaborative teams, and empathy. She was named in 2017 as one of the “Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business” by the?San Francisco Business Times and as “Business Role Model of the Year” in the 2018 Women in IT/Silicon Valley Awards.
In this episode, the conversation covers the critical importance of psychological safety and inclusive leadership in the workplace. Minette shares stories from her tech career, highlighting the challenges of navigating power dynamics, cultural differences, and the role of empathy in leadership. She emphasizes the need for leaders to create environments where individuals feel safe to speak up, make mistakes, and share diverse perspectives without fear of retribution.
Minette is the author of The Boldly Inclusive Leader and co-author of The Psychological Safety Playbook.
The discussion also touches on the common misunderstandings about psychological safety, such as confusing it with comfort, and explores practical ways leaders can foster a culture of openness and accountability while maintaining high performance and innovation.
Questions and Topics:
- What is your favorite mistake, and what did you learn from it?
- How did your mentee’s situation change your perspective on leadership?
- Did you consider legal action when you faced bullying and had to leave tech?
- How do you define psychological safety, and why is it so important?
- Can you have too much psychological safety?
- How can leaders assess and improve psychological safety within their teams?
- What role do leaders play in fostering a culture where it’s safe to admit mistakes?
- How do demographic differences impact experiences of psychological safety?
- How universal are the concepts of psychological safety and inclusion across cultures?
- What advice do you have for leaders hesitant to admit their own mistakes?
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- Full transcript
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Automated Transcript (May Contain Mistakes)
Mark Graban:
Hi. Welcome back to My Favorite Mistake. I'm your host, Mark Graban. Our guest today is Minette Norman. She is an author, speaker, and leadership consultant who previously spent decades leading global technical teams in the software industry. Minette has extensive experience leading internationally distributed teams and believes that when groups embrace diversity in all its forms, breakthroughs emerge, and innovation accelerates. Her most recent position before starting her consultancy was as Vice President of Engineering Practice at Autodesk. Now, Minette is a keynote speaker on inclusive leadership, psychological safety, collaborative teams, and empathy. She was named in 2017 as one of the most influential women in Bay Area business by the San Francisco Business Times and as Business Role Model of the Year in the 2018 Women in IT Silicon Valley Awards. Minette is the author of the book The Boldly Inclusive Leader, and she's co-author of the book The Psychological Safety Playbook. So, Minette, thank you for being here on the podcast. How are you?
Minette Norman:
I'm well. Thank you for having me, Mark. I'm happy to be here.
Mark Graban:
I've been enjoying The Psychological Safety Playbook, and, you know, there's a lot to talk about. It's a topic that comes up frequently here on the podcast. I'm excited to hear your perspectives and tips. But if psychological safety includes feeling safe to share and admit mistakes, I hope you feel safe to share your favorite mistake.
Minette Norman:
Yeah. And, you know, when I knew I was going to be on this podcast, I started thinking about all the mistakes, including the cringe-worthy and appalling ones. And I like that you use the word “favorite” because the one I'm going to share is something that really changed my thinking and helped me move forward in an important way. This story goes back to when I was still in tech, at Autodesk. I was a mentor to many people over the years, and I felt it was really important to give back. One of the ways I did that was through mentorship. I had a number of mentees, and there was this one mentee I had been working with for a while. She was a young woman, probably 20-25 years younger than I am, and she was always really enthusiastic. She would come into my office for our mentoring meetings, full of energy, excited to tell me what she was working on, what her successes had been, what her challenges were.
One day, she came into my office, and I could just immediately feel that the energy was different. There wasn't the exuberance, the bubbly feeling of, “Let me tell you what's going on.” As I started listening to what was happening, she explained that she was in a really difficult situation with her leaders. To me, it sounded like bullying—potentially bullying, potentially harassment. All of my radar was up when I heard what was going on with her. After she told me the full story, my immediate reaction was, “You have to report this to HR.” Because I really felt there was something deeply wrong happening. Either I had to do it, or she had to do it. As soon as I said those words, she got this look. It was one of those micro-expressions that flashed across her face—terror. I said, “What's going on here? You don't like that suggestion I just made?” And she said, “No.” She said, “I cannot risk reporting a situation like this, potentially facing retaliation, potentially losing my job because I'm here on a visa, and I am waiting for my green card. I'm stuck.” She basically said, “I'm stuck, and I cannot afford to lose my job.” Even though she was in a situation that was making her deeply unhappy, she needed to ride it out, either until she got the green card or another job that would sponsor her visa.
Why this stuck with me so much is that my assumption—coming from my perspective—was, “We need to report this; this is wrong.” And while that was true, I needed to step into her seat and realize that not everyone is experiencing the world as I do. There I was in my position of privilege, being a U.S. citizen and not needing to worry about visas and green cards, and here was this woman I'd been mentoring, and that was top of mind for her. She couldn't lose her job; she could lose the ability to work in this country. It made me realize we never know what's going on with someone else because we're always seeing things through our own lenses. This was an opportunity to get curious, to strengthen our empathy, and to recognize that not everyone is going through what we are. They're going through something different. It was a turning point for me in understanding that people are living the work experience very differently than I am, and it's up to me not to impose my viewpoints but to understand where they’re coming from.
Mark Graban:
Wow. That’s a powerful story. It’s sad to hear that the protections you’d hope for in the workplace or legal protections for anyone, particularly a woman in that position, might not protect as much as we would hope. I’m sure I’m being naive and privileged about this from my own perspective.
Minette Norman:
Well, you know, I was naive then too, because I thought, “This is what we do. We need to share this with HR.” And several years later, I had my own experience with this, and I found out that I really was naive because I didn't even intend to tell this story, but here’s another one. I got into a situation where I had a new leader who bullied me. It was documented as bullying. People reported it, there was an investigation, and unfortunately, I was given the choice to report to the bully or leave, and that is when I left tech.
Mark Graban:
Was that a relatively easy choice, or did you struggle through it like your mentee did?
Minette Norman:
I certainly had more options than she did. Financially, I was in a position where I could take time and figure out what I wanted to do. I didn't have a visa situation. Honestly, I had a lot of privilege there. However, it wasn’t easy. It was devastating, after a long and successful career, to have it end that way. I kept thinking I could fix things. I thought, “I’ve managed to work through hard things before; I can make this work.” What I was naive about is that the leaders were ready for me to leave. I just wasn’t what they wanted in the role anymore, and they didn’t want me anywhere else in the company. It might have been because I was challenging the status quo too much. I wasn’t ready to leave, and it forced my hand. But in hindsight, it forced me to figure out what I wanted to do next and led me to this work in writing and speaking. But it’s not to minimize how painful it was at the time.
Mark Graban:
Yeah. Is that the type of situation where you pursued legal action or considered it?
Minette Norman:
Yeah, I consulted with an attorney, and that’s where I got a big education on what really happens in these situations. Unfortunately, I learned how common it is. The lawyers told me that if you pursue legal action, the company will try to find people to defame your character. Anyone who wants to say anything negative about you from your whole career will be brought out. So it’s a question of whether you have the fortitude to go through that. I didn't. I needed to move on.
Mark Graban:
I’m glad you were able to do so and pursue other things. You’re making me think of how interconnected all this is with concepts of psychological safety. I’d like to ask, how do you define psychological safety?
Minette Norman:
Psychological safety is the belief that, in a group you’re part of, you can ask questions, make mistakes, or disagree with someone, knowing you won’t be marginalized or face negative consequences. It’s important to remember that it’s at the group level—you can’t say an entire organization has psychological safety because different teams and groups have their own dynamics. It’s very situational and can vary from one group to another.
Mark Graban:
Would you agree that because it’s at a group level, our sense of psychological safety is very situational?
Minette Norman:
Yes, completely. It’s about the group dynamics, but it’s also about what we bring as individuals—our own experiences, history, and maybe even the scars from past situations where we didn’t feel safe. For example, if someone has been shut down in a meeting before, they might feel more cautious even in a new, potentially safer environment. So, it’s both the dynamics of the group and the experiences each individual brings to it.
Mark Graban:
Why is psychological safety so important, beyond just being nice or treating people well? How do you articulate its importance in a more practical sense?
Minette Norman:
Psychological safety isn’t about making people feel comfortable just for the sake of it. It’s an enabler of higher performance, better innovation, and greater employee engagement and well-being. When people feel safe, they can raise concerns, share creative ideas, and identify risks without fear. This means that problems are solved more quickly, and innovation can flourish because people feel comfortable sharing bold, new ideas. It also means that employees are more engaged and less likely to suffer from stress or burnout because they feel heard and valued. So, it’s not just about creating a nice environment—it’s about creating a high-performing, innovative, and healthy organization.
Mark Graban:
I remember an article that asked, “Can you have too much psychological safety?” What’s your take on that?
Minette Norman:
I remember that article, and I think the premise is a misunderstanding. You can’t really have too much psychological safety, but you can misunderstand what it means. Some people think it means an “anything goes” environment with no accountability, but that’s not the case. It’s still about holding people accountable, maintaining high standards, and pushing for performance—but doing so in an open, respectful way where people aren’t afraid to speak up. It’s not about comfort; it’s about trust and openness, even when conversations are challenging.
Mark Graban:
How can leaders truly understand how safe people feel within their teams or organizations? What should they be looking for?
Minette Norman:
Leaders can start by observing how meetings are conducted. Who does most of the talking? Who stays silent? Are new ideas being shared, or does everyone just agree with the highest-ranking person in the room? Meeting dynamics reveal a lot about a team’s culture. Beyond that, leaders can use surveys or assessments to get a better sense of how safe people feel, like those developed by Amy Edmondson or other tools. But even without formal data, they can begin working on behaviors that promote safety—like inviting different perspectives, listening without defensiveness, and modeling the kind of openness they want to see.
Mark Graban:
You mentioned earlier that there are often misunderstandings about psychological safety, like confusing it with comfort. How can leaders react better when mistakes are made?
Minette Norman:
A big part of this is for leaders to model vulnerability and humility. Admitting their own mistakes and reframing mistakes as learning opportunities can set the tone for the entire team. It’s important to differentiate between preventable mistakes, like carelessness, and those that are part of the learning process, especially when innovating. When leaders can share their own experiences with failure and demonstrate that mistakes are an opportunity for growth, it helps create an environment where others feel safe to do the same. It’s also crucial for leaders to manage their immediate defensive reactions—pausing before responding, listening with curiosity, and staying open to learning.
Mark Graban:
How do demographic differences, like race or gender, impact people’s experience of psychological safety?
Minette Norman:
There are definitely differences. For example, women and people of color often report lower levels of psychological safety than their white male counterparts. A black woman might worry that her mistakes will reflect poorly on others who look like her, which adds an extra layer of burden. That’s a form of privilege that many straight, white men don’t have to consider. Research from the Lean In and McKinsey reports confirms that psychological safety can vary significantly across different demographic groups. This means that leaders must recognize these dynamics and work to create an environment where everyone feels heard and valued, regardless of their background.
Mark Graban:
How do these concepts translate across cultures? Are there differences when applying psychological safety and inclusion in different countries or regions?
Minette Norman:
The concepts of psychological safety and inclusion are universal in that every human being has a need to feel respected and heard. However, how these concepts play out varies greatly depending on the culture. In highly hierarchical cultures, like some Asian countries, it’s much harder to challenge authority or speak up. I remember a leader in India telling me that he couldn’t even get his staff to use his first name—they always called him “Mister” because of cultural norms around hierarchy. So, while the need for psychological safety is universal, the way you go about fostering it needs to be adapted to the cultural context.
Mark Graban:
What advice do you have for leaders who find it hard to admit their own mistakes, especially those who have been operating under a more traditional leadership model for years?
Minette Norman:
It’s common for leaders to resist admitting mistakes because traditional leadership models emphasize projecting strength and confidence. But employees respect leaders who are real and transparent about their own challenges. It’s about finding a balance—showing that you are competent but also a work in progress, just like everyone else. A great first step is to practice acknowledging a small mistake or a learning experience in front of your team, even if it feels uncomfortable at first. This sets an example and helps build a culture where others feel safe to do the same. Over time, employees are more likely to trust and respect a leader who shows vulnerability than one who pretends to have all the answers.
Mark Graban:
That’s a great point. It reminds me of what Tim Clark says about vulnerability being about exposure to risk, rather than a sign of weakness. If a leader acknowledges their own mistakes, it’s a form of vulnerability because they’re taking a risk. It’s unfortunate that many leaders feel like they have to hide their mistakes to avoid appearing weak.
Minette Norman:
Exactly. And sometimes leaders misunderstand what vulnerability means. It doesn’t mean oversharing or revealing your deepest insecurities—it means being open about not having all the answers and being willing to listen and learn. That willingness to say, “I don’t know,” or “I got it wrong” is a powerful way to build trust within a team. It’s also about creating a space where people feel they can do the same without facing backlash.
Mark Graban:
Thank you, Minette, for such an insightful conversation. It’s clear that fostering psychological safety and inclusive leadership requires ongoing effort and self-awareness from leaders at every level. I appreciate you sharing your stories and advice today.
Minette Norman:
Thank you, Mark. It’s been a pleasure talking with you. I hope our discussion helps leaders understand the impact they can have when they focus on creating safe, inclusive environments for their teams.
Episode Summary and More
Embracing Inclusive Leadership and Psychological Safety: Insights from Minnette Norman
Importance of Inclusive Leadership
Inclusive leadership is not just a modern business buzzword but a critical factor for organizational success. Minnette Norman, an accomplished author, speaker, and leadership consultant, emphasizes this through her extensive career leading global technical teams in the software industry. Her experience has highlighted that when groups embrace diversity in all its forms, breakthroughs emerge, and innovation accelerates.
Minnette’s role as Vice President of Engineering Practice at Autodesk illuminated the practical significance of diversity. She underscores that inclusive leadership involves recognizing and valifying each team member's unique contribution. This approach leads to a more engaged workforce where diverse perspectives are integrated into problem-solving processes. Such diversity fosters a culture of creativity and innovation, driving the organization forward.
Leadership's role in championing inclusivity cannot be overstated. Leaders must foster an environment where all voices are heard, and everyone feels their input is valued. This development requires a commitment to continuous learning and an understanding of the systemic barriers some team members may face, such as immigration statuses or cultural differences, as highlighted in Minnette’s mentoring experiences.
Understanding Psychological Safety
Psychological safety is a fundamental driver of a healthy, thriving workplace. It refers to the belief that one can ask questions, make mistakes, and offer dissenting opinions without fear of negative repercussions. Minnette Norman, co-author of The Psychological Safety Playbook, has repeatedly observed how crucial this is in fostering a supportive and innovative team environment.
Norman’s experiences in tech, particularly in senior staff roles, revealed the far-reaching consequences of a lack of psychological safety. She recounts instances where team members, apprehensive about speaking up, would avoid sharing vital feedback or innovative ideas out of fear of marginalization or career repercussions. This atmosphere stifles innovation and prevents valuable insights from emerging.
Creating psychological safety is not just about preventing fear but encouraging open dialogue. Leaders can cultivate this through consistent, empathetic communication and by modeling vulnerability themselves. For instance, by openly addressing their mistakes, leaders normalize the learning process, making it safe for others to do the same. This practice blends well with the principles of inclusive leadership, creating a unified approach to managing diverse teams.
The Role of Empathy and Mentorship in Leadership
Empathy plays a significant role in both inclusive leadership and psychological safety. Minnette's story about mentoring a young professional who feared retaliation due to her visa status underscores the importance of understanding individual circumstances. By stepping into her mentee’s shoes, Minnette learned a valuable lesson in empathy, realizing the diverse challenges her team members faced.
Effective mentorship involves more than just guidance; it's about building a trusted relationship where mentees feel safe to share their concerns. Leaders should actively listen, show genuine interest in their team members' well-being, and provide tailored support. This empathetic approach makes mentees feel valued and understood, which can be crucial in navigating complex workplace dynamics.
Empathy-driven leadership promotes a more inclusive environment, where the unique struggles and perspectives of each team member are acknowledged and addressed. This practice fosters a sense of belonging and commitment among employees, driving overall engagement and productivity.
Navigating Challenges in Diverse Work Environments
Working with diverse teams inevitably involves navigating various challenges, including cultural differences and power hierarchies. Norman’s experiences highlight the importance of being mindful of these dynamics. Leaders must recognize their privilege and how it informs their perspectives and decisions.
Instances where leaders fail to understand the diverse backgrounds and experiences of their team members can lead to significant oversight and mismanagement. In Norman’s case, her initial advice to report harassment was met with fear from her mentee due to potential visa issues. This moment was an eye-opener, teaching her to approach such situations with greater sensitivity and awareness.
Addressing these challenges requires leaders to foster open, honest communication and develop policies that protect all employees, regardless of their background. Encouraging a culture where employees feel safe to report issues without fear of retaliation is essential in maintaining a supportive and inclusive work environment.
Practical Tools for Building Inclusive and Safe Work Environments
Norman’s books, The Boldly Inclusive Leader and The Psychological Safety Playbook, provide practical strategies for building psychologically safe and inclusive work environments. These tools include fostering open communication, practicing empathy, and developing self-awareness among leaders to manage defensive reactions effectively.
Senior leadership must lead by example, demonstrating the behaviors they wish to see within their teams. This leadership strategy involves openly addressing mistakes and showing that it is not only acceptable but encouraged to learn from them. By establishing a precedent for vulnerability and learning, leaders can create a culture where team members feel empowered to contribute authentically and fearlessly.
Additionally, organizations should invest in regular training on emotional intelligence and unconscious bias. These programs can equip leaders and team members with the necessary skills to support a psychologically safe and inclusive workplace. Continuous learning and reflection are key components in maintaining an environment where diversity thrives, and innovation blossoms.
In conclusion, the combination of inclusive leadership and psychological safety is pivotal in fostering an environment where all team members feel valued and empowered. Minnette Norman’s insights offer valuable lessons for leaders seeking to create a thriving, dynamic, and supportive organizational culture.
Psychological Safety Across Different Group Dynamics
Leadership's influence on psychological safety spans across various levels within an organization. A key point Minnette Norman emphasizes is that psychological safety is not a static or uniform characteristic. Each subgroup within an organization, from the senior leadership team to the individual project teams, will have its own unique level of psychological safety. Understanding this differentiation is crucial because it highlights that fostering psychological safety must be an ongoing and tailored effort across all levels of the organization.
It's essential to recognize that psychological safety is situational and group-based. For example, a senior leadership team may have established a robust rapport and trust among its members, contributing to a high level of psychological safety. Conversely, a newly formed project team might have to start from scratch in building trust and openness. Leaders must therefore be adept at reading the dynamics of each group and actively work on creating environments where team members feel safe to contribute.
The Situational Nature of Psychological Safety
The situational nature of psychological safety underscores the importance of being mindful of both group dynamics and individual experiences. Individual members bring their own baggage and past experiences into any group. For instance, a team member who was recently shut down in a previous meeting might feel inherently less safe to vocalize their opinions in subsequent interactions. It's crucial for leaders to be sensitive to these nuances and actively work to create a welcoming environment for all contributors.
Norman’s experiences affirm that psychological safety is a prerequisite for high performance, innovation, and employee well-being. When team members feel safe, they are more likely to voice critical problems, share innovative ideas, and fully engage with their work. Conversely, a lack of psychological safety can lead to stress, disengagement, and even carry over negative effects into personal lives. This ripple effect further demonstrates why creating a psychologically safe environment is not just a feel-good initiative but a business imperative.
The Role of Vulnerability and Candor in Effective Leadership
Admitting mistakes and showing vulnerability are key aspects of leadership that foster psychological safety. Norman's insight into how leaders can reshape the perception and response to failure illustrates a significant shift needed in traditional leadership models. Historically, leaders have been seen as infallible figures who must continuously prove their competence. Norman challenges this view by advocating for a model where leaders acknowledge their mistakes openly.
This approach humanizes leaders and supports a culture where mistakes are seen as learning opportunities rather than failures. Encouraging leaders to share their own errors sets a tone for the organization that it’s safe to take risks and learn from any missteps. As Norman points out, innovation can’t thrive without failure – to innovate successfully, teams must be willing to experiment, fail fast, and learn continuously.
Building a Culture of Radical Candor
Building a culture of radical candor involves creating an environment where open, honest communication is encouraged and valued. Kim Scott’s concept of radical candor, which Norman endorses, stresses the importance of being direct while also caring personally for the individuals involved. This balance allows leaders to provide constructive feedback without being brutally honest, which can be damaging.
Leaders must dismantle the misconceptions that vulnerability equates to weakness or that psychological safety means a lack of accountability. Instead, leaders should aim to develop an atmosphere where honest feedback is given and received with respect and the mutual aim of improvement. The goal is not to avoid difficult conversations but to handle them in a way that builds trust and drives performance.
Overcoming Resistance to Vulnerability
One of the significant challenges highlighted by Norman is the resistance leaders often face in showing vulnerability, especially those who have been conditioned by outdated leadership models. Even in organizations that recognize the importance of vulnerability and psychological safety, shifting these deep-seated habits can be difficult. Leaders might fear being perceived as incompetent or weak if they admit to mistakes or areas of uncertainty.
However, the respect gained from being candid and genuine usually outweighs these fears. Employees often appreciate leaders who are real and relatable, rather than those who perpetuate an image of perfection. A leader who can admit faults and show a willingness to learn sets a powerful example and fosters a transparent, innovative, and resilient organizational culture.
In summary, creating psychological safety is a complex, multi-layered task that extends across all levels and groups within an organization. It requires leaders to be vulnerable, foster open communication, and actively build trust. While the journey to a psychologically safe workplace can be challenging, the benefits – including enhanced innovation, performance, and employee well-being – make it an indispensable goal for modern leaders.
Challenging Misinterpretations of Psychological Safety
A common misinterpretation of psychological safety is conflating it with personal comfort. Leaders often hear feedback like, “When you gave me that constructive feedback, I didn't feel safe.” This misunderstanding can lead leaders to feel they need to walk on eggshells, avoiding necessary yet uncomfortable conversations. As Minette Norman points out, psychological safety should not be about fostering an environment entirely free from discomfort; rather, it's about creating a space where people feel safe to speak up, even if what they have to say is difficult.
Norman highlights that psychological safety and comfort are not synonymous. Feedback is an essential part of workplace dynamics and growth. The goal is not to make every interaction comfortable but to ensure that individuals feel respected and heard, even when the conversations are challenging. Leaders must strike a balance between maintaining psychological safety and providing honest, constructive feedback.
Reframing Psychological Safety to Avoid Misconceptions
One of the challenges discussed is the term “psychological safety” itself, which some leaders find off-putting. The term’s psychological component can evoke the idea of therapy or being overly emotional, which does not align with many traditional leadership paradigms. Some leaders resist the term, feeling it diminishes their authority or the organization's professionalism.
Despite its potentially misleading connotations, the concept of psychological safety is vital. It allows for disagreement and debate, essential tools for innovation and problem-solving. Psychological safety means being able to disagree openly and respectfully, focusing on common goals and finding the best solutions through collective brainstorming and dialogue.
Cultivating Openness to Divergent Perspectives
To foster psychological safety, leaders need to encourage and genuinely value divergent perspectives. It's not uncommon for team members to talk over each other without really listening, often preparing their rebuttal rather than considering others' viewpoints. True psychological safety involves a willingness to listen and be open to changing one's mind based on new information.
Norman underscores the importance of this openness, as evidenced by her own experience with feedback. Leaders should model this behavior by being receptive and showing they value different perspectives. This approach contrasts starkly with environments where leaders feel they must always appear right, which stifles innovation and growth.
Assessing Psychological Safety Within Teams
Understanding the level of psychological safety within a team starts with observing meeting dynamics. Leaders should note who dominates the conversations, who remains silent, and whether real debates occur. Observing whether new ideas are genuinely considered or merely dismissed with polite nods can give an initial sense of psychological safety in a team.
Surveys are another effective tool to gauge psychological safety. They can provide valuable data, especially when designed to measure specific elements of team culture and safety. Amy Edmondson’s “Fearless Organization” offers a set of questions that can be easily integrated into regular pulse surveys to monitor these aspects.
Implementing Behavioral Changes
Building psychological safety does not require massive upheaval but can be achieved through incremental changes. Leaders can start by inviting different perspectives in meetings, asking questions like, “What are we missing?” or “Whose voice haven't we heard?” This active invitation fosters an inclusive environment where all team members feel their input is valued.
Response to feedback is crucial. Leaders should respond with curiosity instead of defensiveness. Phrasing responses constructively, like, “Yes, and…” instead of “No, we've tried that before,” helps maintain a positive atmosphere. These small behavioral adjustments can significantly impact the overall psychological safety of a team.
Addressing Cultural and Demographic Differences
Psychological safety is universally important but manifests differently across cultures and demographics. For instance, in hierarchical cultures, like many in Asia, challenging a leader’s opinion can be culturally taboo. Norman's insights stress the need to navigate these nuances while striving to cultivate psychological safety in varying cultural contexts.
Demographic differences also play a significant role. Women and people of color often experience lower levels of psychological safety compared to their counterparts. This disparity is well-documented, as seen in the McKinsey Lean In report, which reveals that women of color report the lowest levels of psychological safety. This data underscores the additional burdens these groups face, such as the fear that mistakes could reflect poorly on others with similar identities.
Conclusion
Tailoring Psychological Safety to Diverse Groups
Everyone who does not fit into the dominant group often experiences feelings of exclusion and lower levels of psychological safety. These individuals often find they have to work significantly harder to feel included, welcome, and truly belonging. This challenge is amplified for people of color and women, as well as those from other underrepresented groups. Addressing these disparities is crucial for fostering a genuinely inclusive environment.
Personalized Strategies for Inclusivity
To effectively tackle these challenges, leaders need to adopt personalized strategies that address the unique barriers faced by different demographic groups. One approach could be implementing mentorship programs that pair diverse employees with senior leaders who can provide support and guidance. These programs can help bridge the gap, offering the reassurance that diverse perspectives and contributions are valued.
Example Strategies:
- Mentorship Programs: Pair diverse employees with senior mentors for guidance.
- Employee Resource Groups (ERGs): Facilitate ERGs to provide safe spaces for underrepresented groups.
- Inclusive Policies: Regularly review and update organizational policies to ensure they promote inclusivity.
Learning from Expert Insights
Minette Norman and Carolyn Helbig's “The Psychological Safety Playbook” dives into practical strategies for leaders to foster psychological safety by becoming more human. Norman's insights, drawn from years of experience and research, emphasize the importance of creating an environment where everyone feels safe to voice their thoughts. The playbook offers actionable steps that leaders can implement to enhance psychological safety within their teams.
Another valuable resource is “The Boldly Inclusive Leader”. This book encourages leaders to transform their workplaces by genuinely valuing differences within their teams. The focus is on understanding and leveraging diversity as a strength rather than a challenge to be managed.
Books to Consider:
- The Psychological Safety Playbook by Minette Norman and Carolyn Helbig: Practical strategies for leaders.
- The Boldly Inclusive Leader by Minette Norman: Emphasizes the importance of valuing diverse perspectives.
The Long-Term Perspective on Psychological Safety
Cultivating psychological safety and inclusivity is not a quick fix but a long-term commitment. Like the lifecycle of a book, developing a psychologically safe and inclusive environment is a marathon, not a sprint. Continuous effort and dedication are required to maintain and enhance these values within an organization.
Sustaining Efforts:
- Regular Training: Conduct ongoing training sessions on psychological safety and inclusivity.
- Feedback Mechanisms: Establish channels for continuous feedback and make improvements based on this feedback.
- Leadership Commitment: Ensure that top leadership is visibly committed to fostering psychological safety and inclusivity.
Embracing these principles can significantly improve team dynamics, leading to a more innovative, productive, and inclusive workplace.