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When it comes to psychological safety, leaders want the best of both worlds: all voices heard and considered, failure acknowledged and learned from, and feedback offered clearly and received graciously. But they also want harmony, comfort, and a sense of equilibrium. While most leaders want to encourage people to speak their minds, their underlying (often unconscious) ambivalence about actually getting the truth can unwittingly lead them to a performative version of psychological safety. And data suggests that only about a quarter of leaders develop the skills needed to create psychological safety for their teams. The author recounts three well-intentioned but misguided ways leaders try to “fake” psychological safety on their teams and presents strategies for creating an environment that welcomes dissenting voices.
“Hmm, I’m not sure of the best way for us to proceed. What do you all think we should do?”