Psychological Safety

A dynamic of a psychologically safe work environment is how the team leader navigates change and whether they communicate predicables, embrace the unexpected, remove barriers and obstacles, and facilitate open dialogue with their people. Employees want to know that some things will never change, and they want to know what they can expect up the road. 

This need to know is rooted in basic human behavior. People do not actually fear change; rather, they fear the unknown and being alone. When they do not know what to expect, the brain attempts to connect dots and people begin to make up their own stories and details about what might happen. And since our brains are wired for survival, these stories suggest danger or at least have a negative bias. 

Why? The amygdala, the center of the limbic system that controls emotions, emotional behavior, and motivation is wired to spend its time scanning the environment for threats and potential danger. Because the amygdala assumes the worst-case scenario, it tends to override other brain functions, fueling fear of the unknown and fear of being alone. People are motivated primarily by social needs, most notably safety, belonging, and mattering. When these primary needs are not met, mistrust, fear, and anxiety are triggered, which feeds detachment and disengagement.

Lean in and engage your people with stories or explanations about decisions and changes that will impact them, even if you do not have every detail. Tell them what you know and can share and assure them that you will provide more details as they become available. Have conversations in person (or face-to-face virtually) so they can connect and get a sense of your motives. Most importantly, create open and shared dialogue, and affirm that they will not walk into the wilderness alone.