Throughout my career, I have focused on learning what people need and finding solutions to the challenges they face. A key facet of my strategy has always been genuine curiosity. What motivates people? What drives their behavior? As I watched the election unfold this past week, I’ve reached for those same questions to understand our divided country.
In an environment of uncertainty and chaos, people are reaching out for solutions and stability. Because of misinformation and social polarization, trust in familiar institutions like government and media is at an all-time low. The exception is business. According to the 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer, individuals trust their employers to do what is best for the company mission and for their individual prosperity. As business leaders, our responsibility is to be worthy of that trust and provide strength and solidarity. It is also up to us to bring people together–regardless of their partisan feelings–to work as a cohesive team and achieve organizational goals that benefit everyone.
Yet leaders face an enormous challenge. How can we create high-performing, cooperative teams in an environment of anxiety, mistrust, anger and fear? The answer is psychological safety.
People don’t have to agree about everything in order to work together, however team members must believe that the work environment is safe for interpersonal risk-taking. Individuals should feel confident that they can express their ideas, ask questions, admit mistakes and provide feedback without fear of embarrassment, rejection or retaliation.
How can business leaders bring people together?
Executive leaders are in a unique position to promote psychological safety, encourage teamwork and reinforce respectful relationships. To build team cohesion, here are four ways to cultivate psychological safety:
- Be honest and vulnerable. Your team needs to see that you feel many of the same emotions that they do, you don’t have all the answers, and you need their perspective and feedback to succeed. In fact, vulnerability strengthens a team, because it creates space for people to share their own challenges. When weaknesses are identified, team members can support each other, solve the problem, and accomplish their common goals faster and more efficiently.
- Set an example: Demonstrate the behavior you wish to see in others, because the leader’s actions set the tone for the entire organization. Before taking offense at a comment you don’t agree with, ask questions and assume good intent. Remember that everyone has a unique perspective that is worth hearing out. Show empathy and understanding when colleagues or team members are experiencing challenges.
- Prioritize inclusive communication: By encouraging open dialogue and exploring other perspectives, inclusive communication helps employees feel safe to speak up without fear of judgment. When everyone’s input is valued, employees grow to trust their colleagues and feel a sense of belonging. This sense of inclusion encourages team members to contribute their best ideas and take creative risks.
- Invest in well-being: Support holistic well-being programs through wellness initiatives, mental health resources and flexible work arrangements. By prioritizing health and appropriate work-life balance, you give employees the tools to reduce stress and avoid burnout. They can then approach work with more resilience and feel comfortable sharing their challenges without fear of repercussions.
- Cultivate a feedback culture: Create an environment where open communication is expected and safe by asking for and giving constructive feedback. In a feedback culture, employees are encouraged to share ideas, concerns and even mistakes that will be collaboratively addressed. Team members become more willing to take risks and innovate, knowing they’ll receive supportive guidance.
The exponential power of psychological safety
Through a multifaceted study of over 180 diverse teams, researchers from Google’s Project Aristotle found that teams exhibiting high levels of psychological safety were 27% more likely to report superior performance compared to those with lower levels. Furthermore, psychological safety was found to enhance other critical team dynamics, amplifying overall effectiveness. The comprehensive research initiative, inspired by the Greek philosopher’s belief that “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” identified four additional elements that contribute to the success of high-performing teams.
- Dependability: Reliable team members who consistently meet expectations.
- Structure and Clarity: Clear roles, goals and processes within the team.
- Meaning of Work: A sense of purpose and significance in the team’s work.
- Impact of Work: Belief that the team’s work makes a meaningful difference.
At The Diversity Movement, a Workplace Options company, our goal is to ensure that every individual has the opportunity and the resources to succeed professionally and personally. In essence, we help people work better together, and we are deeply invested in creating psychologically safe and inclusive workplaces for all. Our efforts have positively impacted hundreds of clients and touched the lives of thousands of people.
Today, that collective mission is even more crucial. Strong, healthy and productive workplaces are impossible without connection, respect and clarity of purpose. Collaboration and creativity whither without trust and psychological safety. Continued division and polarization threatens everyone’s future happiness and prosperity. As leaders, professionals, family members and citizens, we must find ways to foster empathy, kindness and equity for everyone in our sphere of influence. Together, we can continue to build environments where everyone can flourish, no matter what challenges lie ahead.
When managers build meaningful, psychological safe relationships with their employees, it sets the stage for higher engagement, better performance and a more positive work culture.
If you’re looking for practical ways to cultivate powerful workplace connections, join me for “The Power of Connection: How to Grow Engagement Through Manager-Employee Relationships.” The webinar recording will be available on demand after the event at the link above.
About the Author
Donald Thompson, EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2023 SE Award-winner, founded The Diversity Movement, a Workplace Options Company, to fundamentally transform the modern workplace through diversity-led culture change. Recognized by Inc., Fast Company and Forbes, Thompson is author of Underestimated: A CEO’s Unlikely Path to Success, hosts the podcast “High Octane Leadership in an Empathetic World” and has published widely on leadership and the executive mindset. His new book is The Inclusive Leadership Handbook: Balancing People and Performance for Sustainable Growth, co-authored with Kurt Merriweather, Vice President of Marketing and Innovation at The Diversity Movement. Follow Thompson on LinkedIn for updates on news, events and his podcast.