What are some things you can do to promote psychological safety?

1. I like to start a meeting or conversation with "what kind of day are you having so far?" to each of the participants. This way I am signaling my intention by putting the focus on them and not the project.

2. Take turns in the conversation and include everyone's input. When I am leading continuous improvement projects, there is usually at least 1 or two people who seemingly hijack the project and do most of the talking. I thoroughly enjoy their input and the enthusiasm is contagious, but I intentionally search for the person(s) in the room who has participated the least. Not to put them on the spot but to take advantage of moments to ask "what are your thoughts...". This allows for more even distribution of ideas and input.

3. Do not allow interruptions. I have what is called a "talking stick" which was inspired by some Native American elders. It is just a wooden spoon with a smiley face cut into it, but I use it when there are a lot of interruptions as an attempt to calm the chaos. Whoever is holding the talking stick can share their idea then they pass on it to the next person to share theirs. Typically, only a couple of times using the talking stick, the order is restored and the team is more mindful if needing to take turns and not talk over each other.

4. Talk about the elephant in the room right away. Have those difficult conversations, be honest and even vulnerable but clear the air. Avoiding difficult conversations does not make them go away, it makes them harder. This releases anxiety early and allows for a more relaxed and insightful conversation.

https://expanding-excellence.com/f/psychological-safety

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