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In this episode of the Future of Work Hub's ‘In Conversation’ podcast, Lucy Lewis is joined by Professor Binna Kandola, co-founder and senior partner at Pearn Kandola.
With over 40 years’ experience researching bias, organisational culture and leadership, Binna shares insights on the current state of psychological safety and what this means for workplace culture. They discuss how to create psychologically safe environments, the distinction between safety and comfort, and the practical steps leaders can take to build resilience and foster inclusive teams.
Key takeaways
- Psychological safety is a key foundation for navigating future uncertainty. As the pace of change accelerates, organisations that enable people to speak up, challenge assumptions and surface risks early will be better equipped to adapt and stay ahead.
- Psychological safety is about honesty, not comfort. A psychologically safe culture still includes challenge, feedback and stretch. The difference is that difficult conversations are handled with honesty, respect and trust.
- Build psychological safety through everyday leadership habits. Leaders can help to shape a psychologically safe environment by allowing others to speak first, observing team dynamics, inviting quieter voices in and responding constructively when people raise questions or concerns.
- Strengthen resilience by building real connection at work. Social support and a sense of belonging are central to wellbeing and resilience, and leaders must be deliberate about creating trust, community and human connection within their teams and across the organisation.
- Treat psychological safety as a pre-requisite to change, not simply a wellbeing concept. People adapt faster when they can speak up, ask questions, raise concerns and test ideas without fear of repercussions for their status, career or reputation.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
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