Developing Psychological Safety

Talking about how to encourage a culture where people feel comfortable sharing ideas.

Joey Carley
Engineering Technician
City of Raytown, MO

The world, especially lately, can truly seem like a daunting place. Multiple ”once in a lifetime” events in the span of a decade, global health concerns, and financial instability are enough to make anyone uneasy. Pair that with the budgetary and staffing challenges in the public sector and it’s understandable to see ourselves and our peers facing historic levels of stress. The problems, large and small, are all around us, and due to the nature of our work, they will be a common occurrence. However, that’s our calling, we are problem solvers, and we strive to find the best way to efficiently address them. One of the primary ways we try and accomplish this is with the people with whom we surround ourselves. Despite all the challenges we are facing and continue to face, we can be driven by something. Ensuring that we personally feel okay in exploring these uncertain times and encouraging our colleagues to do the same is a vital part of the equation. The fact that you’re here to read this, I’m here to write this, and that we are even having this discussion should motivate us. We are stronger than ever, and resilient enough to have navigated a barrage of momentous hardships and headlines. It is easy to feel overwhelmed in an environment where we all find ourselves, but on the other hand it can be just as easy to feel as confident as ever to tackle these problems.

These words are not meant to be a snap-of-the-finger fix to the woes you and your teammates are facing. My desire is only to provide a new perspective, a new way to look at things that can improve your organizational culture and enrich the relationships that make public service rewarding in unique ways. Essentially, we need to foster an environment in our workplaces where people feel acknowledged and comfortable bringing thoughts and opinions to the table. Problem solving needs to be a bottom-up approach, not the other way around. To open the door to this approach is to ensure that the idea of psychological safety is preached and practiced. For those unfamiliar with the term, psychological safety is when every single member of your team feels safe speaking up with questions or concerns, especially the unpleasant ones. Everyone needs to know that if they make a statement that might be controversial, intentionally or not, they will not suffer punishment or humiliation. This is the foundation upon which you can build a collaborative problem-solving strategy. The people patching the pothole, jetting a sewer main, or plowing a street are the very same people with direct contact with your residents. The most public-facing team members can have the most insightful and impactful ideas and can make or break the organization.

So, how do we lead our teams in a way that exemplifies psychological safety? It will be a continual, evolving effort, but one that will prove valuable. Stating that you have an open-door policy is a great way to start. Your folks should be aware that your door and your ears are open to them, and when they approach you, they feel acknowledged. More importantly, that open door is a mutual responsibility; it is open to both directions of communication. Not only should you be available to listen to your people, but you should also walk through that door and actively be pursuing thoughts and opinions. You should be discovering what problems irritate them and seeking solutions for them. You should ask them about what is going well, and how to keep it up and celebrate it. You should leave them without any doubt that you want their ideas, and they can always access you to express them.

Psychological safety is the comfort in knowing that one’s ideas won’t instantly be mocked or shot down. However, what do you do when an idea isn’t a winner, or has known problems? If they’re bringing a solution to the table and it goes unused, how do you get them to return with their next concern or comment? Kindness and transparency. Make sure that they know you’ve understood what they’re saying and that their thoughts receive genuine consideration. Do not be dismissive of these solutions or innovations, be open and honest in why these ideas might just not work then and there. If you get the feeling that this may discourage them, lead them to the same conclusion on their own. Ask them questions that may lead them to understanding why it won’t happen. Their pride isn’t broken, and it may develop a new critical thinking skillset for them to approach similar problem solving down the road.

A consideration to make in all elements of our line of work is to practice vulnerability. This vulnerability should be something we all embody and encourage the people that we work alongside to do the same. In a field where strength and sturdiness are often seen as admirable, and openness and sensitivity are obstacles to performance, we need to try to change this perception. Vulnerability does not mean that we have to be weak or soft; it does mean that we need to be understanding and honest. We see stories weekly about the worsening of our collective mental health. To exemplify and embrace team vulnerability is a core effort to help improve these troubling topics. Admitting we aren’t the best at every little thing is courageous, stating we don’t know something is strong, and sharing what makes us uneasy can oddly instill a lot of stability when it is hard to find. If we share how we think and feel as it pertains to our work, we encourage our colleagues to do the same. This will get the problem-solving and innovative gears turning and will strengthen our communication. Checking in on those we work with opens the door to a variety of topics that aren’t easy to discuss but are necessary. In an era of challenging events and their lingering effects, it is always nice to know that someone is there to be a sounding board. We should always set an example and take the initiative to be that person. If we lead by example and do so, it sets the tone for the whole team to embrace this practice, for everyone to feel psychologically safe.