People love to talk about #1 PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY. It’s defined as a belief that it’s okay to speak up with ideas, questions, or concerns without fear of negative consequences. I love this concept. We need more of it in practice. It speaks to the contextual foundation for creativity and innovation. However, it’s in short supply in many workplaces. I think I know why.
We should be talking more about fear instead of safety. Yet we don’t because fear seems somehow taboo or unsavory. It’s easier to talk about safety. But we must talk about fear. We fear failure, job insecurity, looking dumb, being evaluated or criticized, change, retribution, harassment, and so on.
To establish enduring psychological safety, we must get to the root cause of most of these fears. Why do they exist? We experience these fears due to differences in personalities, bad bosses, uncertainty about job security, a lack of work-life balance, and other issues.
Common prescriptions for establishing #1 PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY include setting proper expectations, leaders modeling needed behaviors, spelling out norms for mistakes and failures, more listening, voice in decision-making, etc. These are all great ideas – that do not address the root cause of fear.
As diverse as the causes of fear might be, it’s clear there are two main paths forward if fear is our target.
The first is to focus on improving employee wellbeing and #1 PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY. This is about addressing the context and resources that shape the employees’ environment. This refers to initiatives around employee assistance programs, career development planning, encouraging proper breaks and downtime, exploring work flexibility, and expanding access to all things healthy (e.g., helpful apps, nutritious food, exercise spaces). It also means an unrelenting opposition to toxic behavior in all its forms.
The second involves how we hire, socialize, and develop leaders through #1 PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY. This is about improving how leaders interact with their employees. Historically, when we look for leaders we look for job competence. That part will always matter. In addition, we’re learning that an equally important component of leadership success is compassion.
Effectiveness is found where competence meets compassion. Functional/task/process/tech knowledge must be surrounded by empathy, kindness, and understanding – that’s compassion.
To be clear, fear can never be fully eradicated – but it can be considerably reduced. #1 PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY can be, on average, stronger than fear. That’s when innovation becomes a normal part of the culture.
TODD’S TIPS
Which is the best strategy for starting your workday? Go for a quick win with an easy task to gain momentum or work on one of your truly difficult but more substantive tasks? Answer: go for the big tasks! We all know that sometimes our brain works very well and other times it struggles. The best strategy is to start with the most substantive and strategically important work you face.
If you’re able to make progress – great! If not, time for a quick win. Grab one of those comparatively easier tasks and knock it out. Then refocus once again on something that truly matters. Some work moves us forward and some is just work that must be done. I say go big or go home.
WHAT’S UP WITH DR. D?
Speaking: Next stop – Fort Worth, Texas. I’m excited to speak live in-person this week to the senior sales leadership team at TTI, a major global distributor of electronic components. It’s a Show Your Ink keynote followed by thirty minutes of Q&A with me and fifty of their top leaders.
READ FULL ARTICLE ON LINKEDIN
Contact us at Speakers Inc and follow us on Twitter
In March 2020, when the world shut down and my live event calendar was wiped clean—I was concerned about working virtually and leading through adversity As my speaking business went online, I wondered if it would survive the transformation. Would I still have an impact? Would I still matter? I’m sure you asked yourself similar […]
Elevating the Customer Experience at Airports: How Airports are Enhancing Every Passenger’s Journey For travelers around the world, airports serve as the gateway to their adventures and journeys, but this Customer Experience at Airports can often be challenging due to stress, long lines, and crowds. In response, airports have started transforming their customer experience (CX) […]
Mastering the Art of Emceeing: A Guide to Making Your Mark as a Great Host Introduction: The role of an emcee goes far beyond simply introducing speakers and keeping the event on schedule. A skilled emcee has the power to captivate an audience, set the tone, and elevate the overall experience for everyone involved. Whether […]
I had a recent team meeting where I brought our Caring Leadership coaches together to discuss an idea regarding the community. The call ended up going in an entirely different direction, but ended up in an amazing place. As the conversation grew, many strong opinions came forth on all sides, but I trusted each of them individually to […]
The Power of Motivational Sales Speakers: Keynote Themes, Takeaways, and Audience Impact In the fast-paced world of business, sales professionals face constant challenges that demand not only skill but also a resilient mindset. Motivational sales speakers play a critical role in empowering these professionals, providing the inspiration, tools, and strategies needed to achieve success. Whether […]
Speakers Inc is your Unique Speaker Bureau International in today’s fast-paced world, where the success of an event hinges on delivering impactful and memorable experiences, event planners require a partner who understands their needs inside and out. Enter Speakers Inc, the Unique Speaker Bureau International and ultimate solution for sourcing world-class keynote speakers, emcees, and […]
You’ve seen it before where Celebrity Speakers Are a Waste of Money. A big conference rolls out the red carpet for some A-list celebrity, hyped as the highlight of the event. But when they hit the stage, all you get is a generic, uninspired speech that could’ve been ripped from a self-help book. 💰 Thousands […]
Easter is obviously when Christians celebrate a miracle that is central to our faith in Creating Distinction. We are also in the seasons of Ramadan and Passover. Although my work here is never intended to be about any particular set of spiritual beliefs, it struck me when thinking about these observances that having faith — […]
No results available
Our Mission:
© All rights reserved 2026. Designed using Voxel