Psychological Safety Increases Workplace Success
Cathie Leimbach • November 28, 2023
Erica Keswin, a workplace strategist and coach, suggests that Workplace Performance = Psychological Safety + Purpose. When people feel safe at work and believe their work has purpose, they will be a stronger performer. And, appropriate rituals at work help employees feel safer.
A ritual is a sequence of activities involving gestures, words, and/or actions that mark a specific occasion. Rituals that make people more connected to the mission and people in their organization create a greater sense of belonging, increasing employees’ sense of being in a safe place and motivating them to meet and exceed workplace expectations.
Consider these ideas around rituals:
- In-person rituals help employees get to know each other, they help people want to develop valuable connections with each other rather than hiding behind technology.
- If we want the benefits of psychological safety, we need to be intentional about establishing and maintaining them. Rituals don’t come out of thin air.
- Rituals can include celebrating recurring events such as welcoming a new employee, acknowledging promotions, marking the end of a week or the completion of a project.
- Rituals can be accessible to everyone. They don’t have to cost money or be complicated or intimidating. They can be as simple as a Monday morning team coffee break.
What simple ritual could your company adopt to increase human connection and workplace pride? What is one step you can take towards starting this ritual?
A growth mindset means believing you can get smarter and develop new skills through hard work and practice. People with a growth mindset see challenges as opportunities to grow. On the other hand, a fixed mindset means thinking your talents and abilities cannot change much, no matter how hard you try. People with a growth mindset are more likely to exercise self-discipline to learn new behaviors. This helps us adapt to new opportunities. When we push ourselves to try different approaches, we open doors that would otherwise remain closed. This takes courage and commitment, especially at first when new ways of doing things feel uncomfortable or difficult. Our brains have amazing potential to change throughout our lives. When we repeatedly practice new skills or ways of thinking, our brain creates new pathways that make these actions easier over time. What once felt impossible can gradually become second nature. The hard part is sticking with new behaviors long enough for them to become normal. This is where self-discipline comes in . By consistently practicing different approaches, what once required enormous effort eventually feels natural. This ability to adapt keeps us growing, helps us keep up with our changing world, and unlocks possibilities we might never have imagined.
In today's busy workplace, asking good questions can make you better at your job. Open-ended questions—ones that need more than just "yes" or "no" answers—help you learn more and have better conversations with others. Research shows these questions really work. Gallup found that managers who use open-ended questions have 27% less employee turnover and 18% better productivity. These questions make team members feel safe to share their ideas. Harvard Business Review says that when bosses ask at least four open-ended questions in meetings, teams come up with 42% more creative solutions. By asking instead of telling, leaders get more ideas from everyone. McKinsey discovered that managers who are good at asking open-ended questions find 34% more opportunities for process improvement. These questions help spot problems and challenge old ways of thinking. These benefits go beyond just team conversations. The Journal of Applied Psychology found that salespeople who use open-ended questions with customers make 23% more sales. By better understanding what customers need, they can offer better solutions. Learning to ask open-ended questions isn't just about talking better—it's a skill that helps you succeed in all parts of work. Click here for more information.