Management
PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY, AUTONOMY AND PERFORMANCE
Workshop principle
The workshop aims to sensitize future managers to the importance of creating a work environment that offers psychological safety, thus promoting employee empowerment and autonomy.
Based on two videos of about 3 minutes: a short film recalling the importance of employee autonomy to serve a better customer experience and a presentation of the support tool “TousClients”, a ritual allowing to value good practices (tops) and to identify, prioritize, treat the brakes (flops) to customer satisfaction.
Participants will explore the key factors to strengthen employee autonomy and responsibility, notably by identifying the conditions and barriers to trust, reflecting on the managerial posture adapted to the ‘TousClients’ ritual, and defining the conditions for sustainable success of this system.
Educational objectives:
- Raise awareness: Participants should leave the workshop with a stronger awareness of the importance of the relational framework and psychological safety to be established within teams through rituals of inclusion, recognition and openness, in order to promote autonomy, responsibility and thus improve customer relations and performance.
- Stimulate reflection and exchange on the “TousClients” tool: Participants bring out ideas to contribute to the successful launch of this ritual.
- Trigger action: The coaches encourage each participant to consider concrete actions to promote the implementation of the conditions for sustainable success of this system.
The relational framework and psychological safety: performance factor #1
BASED ON THE WORK OF WILLIAM SCHUTZ, THE HUMAN ELEMENT.
Psychological safety is the keystone of relationship quality and the #1 factor in the performance of a team or organization.
Concretely, a strong safety framework must allow everyone to feel authorized to express themselves authentically.
The relational trust framework is the variable that will transform diversity into performance.
Concretely, this implies a strong safety framework that allows everyone to feel authorized to express themselves authentically in a group.
Creating a framework of psychological safety can be learned!
SCHUTZ explains that there are three essential dimensions to consider to achieve this:
L’inclusion
The need for inclusion refers to the desire of individuals to feel accepted, integrated and recognized within a group. This can include aspects such as social belonging, the feeling of having a place within a collective and being respected as an individual.
A simple technique is to take the time to dive into oneself to feel one’s emotional state and express it to others.
Example: a ritual can consist, during meetings, of allocating at least 10% of the time to inclusion, which significantly improves the quality of exchanges.
Recognition
The need for recognition consists of feeling competent, autonomous, able to cope with situations and being entrusted with a vote of confidence from the group. Concretely, it refers to the act of appreciating, valuing and rewarding everyone’s contributions, achievements and efforts for their work within an organization.
A simple technique is to openly and authentically express one’s feelings or gratitude towards the other for what they have done or said, or even for what they have not done or have not said.
Example: give thanks in “Non-Violent Communication” mode.
Openness
The need for openness consists of feeling accepted by others, feeling that they are available and open. It involves learning to reconcile vulnerability and power, that is, to assume one’s strengths as much as one’s flaws. It is in many respects the most difficult dimension to implement, especially for anyone who has a responsibility towards others and who may tend to believe that being a role model means showing only the positive aspects of oneself.
A simple technique is to give the other access to a “space of vulnerability” in us.
Example: dare to openly share having made a mistake
Examples of organizations that have implemented frameworks of psychological safety
Bridgewater Associates
In addition to promoting a culture of “radical truth”, Bridgewater Associates uses a series of tools and processes to develop the trust framework. They regularly organize “battles” where teams are encouraged to express their differences of opinion in a constructive way. In addition, they set up “dots” that allow employees to anonymously evaluate their colleagues and provide honest feedback on their performance.
Etsy
In order to develop a framework of trust, Etsy has implemented a continuous learning process. When a mistake occurs, the company encourages employees to examine it objectively and identify lessons learned. They also organize experience sharing sessions where employees can openly discuss mistakes they have made and the learnings that have resulted.
To foster psychological safety, Google has implemented the “Aristotle” project. This project discovered that the most successful teams were those where members felt safe to express their ideas, make mistakes, and ask questions. Thus, Google organizes training workshops on caring communication and encourages active listening and empathy among team members.
Kiabi
To create a strong framework of psychological safety, Kiabi launched resonance circles. These circles provide a space for speech where employees can freely express their feelings and ideas. They are supported by a team of facilitators trained in active listening and conflict management. The information and issues addressed during these circles are then transmitted to management for consideration in strategic decisions.
Pixar
Pixar has implemented a culture of transparency and openness through various practices. For example, the “Morning Notes” are meetings where employees are encouraged to share their thoughts, ideas and add raw notes. This allows everyone to express themselves freely and contribute. In addition, Pixar regularly organizes feedback sessions where teams can collectively critique and improve ongoing projects.
