Welcome to Our Leadership Corner!

We Need to Talk!  

 I am Dr. Downey. I love leadership. It does not have to be as complicated as others make it. As leaders, we just need to treat people right and serve them. Thank you for taking the time to join the conversation about leadership, we need to talk. Mental health issues need to be a high priority in our communities. What do you think? The pandemic has shed more light on an existing problem. I would like to start our conversation with psychological safety in the workplace. Do you feel psychologically safe in your workplace? Why or why not?

Psychological Safety in the Workplace

Organizational leaders are rightly responsible for creating an emotionally safe working environment for followers. According to Bond et al., “the organization must take primary preventative steps by developing an organizational climate that is committed to enacting policies, practices, and procedures for the protection of a worker’s psychological well-being.”[1] In modern times, employees (someone employed by another for wages or salary and in a position below the executive level)[2] are faced with rapid technology growth, and it can be intimidating for some people as they endeavor to keep up with changing times and tools. “Organizations depend on talent, but for many reasons, talent alone is not enough,”[3] stated one source; in fact, “the only way for human capacities can truly flourish is in an environment free of fear.”[4]

A psychologically safe culture is about creating space where employees can “make a mistake and share ideas” without fear of reprisal, name-calling, or feeling unimportant.[5] It is an atmosphere where employees can boldly speak up about anything knowing leadership will listen to them, instead of reacting negatively to them. It is an atmosphere where employees are given a voice through empowerment. As Frazier et al. noted, “Psychological safety allows employees to feel safe at work to grow, learn, contribute, and effectively perform in a rapidly changing world.”[6]

What is leadership doing to ensure that employees feel safe in your workplace? How are they supporting employee’s mental health? Please share your thoughts with us!

Blessings!

Dr. Downey

[1] Bond et al., 2019, p. 53.

[2] Merriam-Webster Dictionary, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/employee, retrieved January 1, 2023.

[3] Anonymous & Edmondson, 2019, p. 10.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Frazier et al., 2017, pp. 113-165.

                                                             References

Anonymous, & Edmondson, A. C. (2019). Book review of the fearless organisation-Creating psychological safety in the workplace for learning, Innovation and growth. Management Services, 10.

Bond, S. A., Tuckey, M. R., & Dollard, M. F. (2010). Psychosocial safety climate, workplace bullying, and symptoms of posttraumatic stress. Organization Development Journal, 37-56.

Frazier, L. M., Fainshmidt S., Klinger, R., Pezeshkan A., & Vracheva, V. (2017) Psychological safety: A meta-analytic review and extension. Personnel Psychology, 113-165.

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Commitment. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved May 24, 2023, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commitment