Psychological safety has become one of those phrases that gets used everywhere. Barbara Phillips explains what it actually looks like. Barbara is the founder of Brownstone Communications, a communications consultant, executive coach and former Chair of the PRCA's Race & Ethnicity Equity Board. Throughout her career she's advised organisations on leadership, culture and inclusion, while helping senior teams create workplaces where people feel able to contribute, challenge and belong. We talk about growing up in Birmingham, finding confidence, building a business and why psychological safety has become one of the biggest leadership challenges facing organisations today. The conversation also covers race, representation, code-switching and the pressure many people still feel to leave parts of themselves at the door when they arrive at work. One moment stayed with me. Barbara said the greatest freedom came when she stopped worrying about being liked. In this episode: • What psychological safety actually means • Why respect lasts longer than popularity • Race, identity and belonging at work • The emotional cost of code-switching • Building confidence as a leader • Why people do their best work when they feel safe to contribute Accidentally Brilliant is the podcast where Josh Wheeler speaks to leaders across communications, media and business about the careers they never planned and the moments that shaped them.