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Lead Like You Mean It: Building Psychological Safety from Your Desk to the Boardroom
Published 1 week, 1 day ago
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This is your The Women's Leadership Podcast podcast.
Welcome to The Women's Leadership Podcast, where we empower you to step into your power and lead with unapologetic strength. Today, we're diving deep into leading with empathy and how you, as a woman leader, can create psychological safety in the workplace—a game-changer for innovation, trust, and team success.
Imagine walking into a meeting where every voice matters, ideas flow freely without fear of judgment, and your team feels truly seen. That's psychological safety, a concept pioneered by Amy Edmondson from Harvard Business School, where people believe they can take risks, admit mistakes, and innovate without reprisal. As women leaders, our natural empathy positions us perfectly to build this environment. Google’s Project Aristotle, which studied high-performing teams, found psychological safety as the top factor for success—outranking even individual skill or structure.
Start by modeling vulnerability yourself. Share a time you faced a setback, like when I led a project at my former company and admitted we needed to pivot after a failed launch. This invites your team to do the same, fostering trust. According to Brené Brown in her Dare to Lead work, empathy isn't just feeling with others; it's holding space for their stories without rushing to fix. Listen actively—put down your phone, maintain eye contact, and reflect back what you hear: "It sounds like you're frustrated because..." This simple act, backed by research from Gallup, boosts engagement by making employees feel valued.
Next, normalize feedback loops. Hold regular check-ins where anonymity is key, using tools like anonymous surveys from platforms such as SurveyMonkey. Encourage speaking up by praising risk-takers publicly. At Broad River, leaders are forming women in leadership groups to promote mentorship, countering biases that label our empathy as weakness. Men apply for jobs with 60% of qualifications, per Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg, while women wait for 100%. Flip that script: champion your team's bold moves, and watch perfectionism fade.
Address biases head-on. If a team member hesitates, ask, "What would make you feel safe sharing?" This draws from Catalyst's insights on women leaders thriving through inclusive cultures. Ally with male colleagues too—invite them to amplify voices, as seen in Inspiring Women with Laurie McGraw, where healthcare leaders share how empathy drives transformative change.
Finally, celebrate small wins. A thank-you note or shoutout in Slack reinforces safety. Research from McKinsey shows diverse, safe teams outperform others by 35% in profitability. You have the power to cultivate this—your empathy is your superpower.
Listeners, thank you for tuning in to The Women's Leadership Podcast. Subscribe now for more episodes that fuel your rise. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
For more http://www.quietplease.ai
Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
This episode includes AI-generated content.
Welcome to The Women's Leadership Podcast, where we empower you to step into your power and lead with unapologetic strength. Today, we're diving deep into leading with empathy and how you, as a woman leader, can create psychological safety in the workplace—a game-changer for innovation, trust, and team success.
Imagine walking into a meeting where every voice matters, ideas flow freely without fear of judgment, and your team feels truly seen. That's psychological safety, a concept pioneered by Amy Edmondson from Harvard Business School, where people believe they can take risks, admit mistakes, and innovate without reprisal. As women leaders, our natural empathy positions us perfectly to build this environment. Google’s Project Aristotle, which studied high-performing teams, found psychological safety as the top factor for success—outranking even individual skill or structure.
Start by modeling vulnerability yourself. Share a time you faced a setback, like when I led a project at my former company and admitted we needed to pivot after a failed launch. This invites your team to do the same, fostering trust. According to Brené Brown in her Dare to Lead work, empathy isn't just feeling with others; it's holding space for their stories without rushing to fix. Listen actively—put down your phone, maintain eye contact, and reflect back what you hear: "It sounds like you're frustrated because..." This simple act, backed by research from Gallup, boosts engagement by making employees feel valued.
Next, normalize feedback loops. Hold regular check-ins where anonymity is key, using tools like anonymous surveys from platforms such as SurveyMonkey. Encourage speaking up by praising risk-takers publicly. At Broad River, leaders are forming women in leadership groups to promote mentorship, countering biases that label our empathy as weakness. Men apply for jobs with 60% of qualifications, per Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg, while women wait for 100%. Flip that script: champion your team's bold moves, and watch perfectionism fade.
Address biases head-on. If a team member hesitates, ask, "What would make you feel safe sharing?" This draws from Catalyst's insights on women leaders thriving through inclusive cultures. Ally with male colleagues too—invite them to amplify voices, as seen in Inspiring Women with Laurie McGraw, where healthcare leaders share how empathy drives transformative change.
Finally, celebrate small wins. A thank-you note or shoutout in Slack reinforces safety. Research from McKinsey shows diverse, safe teams outperform others by 35% in profitability. You have the power to cultivate this—your empathy is your superpower.
Listeners, thank you for tuning in to The Women's Leadership Podcast. Subscribe now for more episodes that fuel your rise. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
For more http://www.quietplease.ai
Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
This episode includes AI-generated content.