The Leader Factor

This weeks episode is part two in our five part series on "What's Driving Demand for Psychological Safety". Tim and Junior sit down to discuss exclusion and social injustice as a driving force for psychological safety and ask each of us to consider our own behavior patterns as it relates to fostering cultures of inclusion. 

(01:53) What is social injustice? The basic definition of social injustice can be described as "when humans don't treat other humans the way they should be treated". There are all kinds of manifestations of social injustice but this is the most basic definition. 

(02:29) Consider your own behavior by asking the following questions:

1. Do you truly believe that all humans are created equal, and do you accept others and welcome them into your society simply because they possess flesh and blood even if their values differ from your own?
2. Without bias or discrimination, do you encourage others to learn and grow, and do you support them in that process even when they lack confidence or make mistakes?
3. Do you grant others maximum autonomy to contribute in their own way as they demonstrate their ability to deliver results?
4. Do you consistently invite others to challenge the status quo in order to make things better, and are you personally prepared to be wrong based on the humility and learning mindset you have developed?

(07:24) Inclusion safety is an entitlement. The right to inclusion is not earned it is owed. There are no justifiable grounds for exclusion, save only one, and that is the threat of harm.

(09:35) "Throughout our nervous history, we have constructed pyramidic towers of evil, ofttimes in the name of good. Our greed, fear and lasciviousness have enabled us to murder our poets, who are ourselves, to castigate our priests, who are ourselves. The lists of our subversions of the good stretch from before recorded history to this moment." - Maya angelou

(20:21) We must elevate humanity as our highest level of loyalty. All other characteristics, similarities, or differences are subordinate to our shared humanity.

(31:45) Are your behaviors congruent with your beliefs? Do you acknowledge the humanity of others in the way you behave? Would your friends, co-workers, and acquaintances say the same about your behavior?

Important Links
The 4 Stages of Psychological Safety Book
How to Create a Deeply Inclusive Culture Webinar
Stage 1: Inclusion Safety Podcast Episode

We're kicking  the new year off with a five part series on "What's Driving Demand for Psychological Safety." Today's episode will kick off the series and give us an overview of where we've been, where we are, and introduce the key drivers. In the following episodes of this series, Tim and Junior discuss exclusion and social injustice, and innovation, engagement and retention, mental health and wellness. Each of these paths lead back to the need and the demand for higher levels of psychological safety.

(0:02:16) The way we work has changed. The 2020s are the decade of culture and we are able to hold conversations about psychological safety that can be productive and actionable.

(03:35) The concept of psychological safety has been around since 1965 when Warren Bennis and Edgar Schein at MIT coined the term in their academic research. 

(18:41) A global survey conducted by SHRM shows that workplace culture is the difference between success and failure in a post pandemic world. A good workplace culture was more important than salary for job satisfaction. Wellbeing is up 147% in mentions in the share of job posts and the number one reason for attrition was toxic corporate culture.

(36:10) Introducing the drivers of psychological safety such as employee engagement, physical safety, growth and development, mental health and wellness, innovation and competitiveness.

 (40:24) Younger generations like GenZ are more sensitive to workplace culture than the generations before them. You cannot treat workplace culture the same as we have treated in the past and expect to succeed as a business in 2023.

Important Links
LinkedIn Global Talent Trends 2022 Report Key Findings
LinkedIn Global Talent Trends 2022 Report
MIT Sloan Management Review "Toxic Culture is Driving the Great Resignation"
Glassdoor "Culture over Cash? Multi-Country Survey Finds More Than Half of Employees Prioritize Workplace Culture Over Salary"
SHRM "Healthy Workplace Culture: The Cornerstone of All Business Objectives"
What is Psychological Safety?
The 4 Stages of Psychological Safety by Timothy R. Clark

 

In this podcast Tim and Junior discuss the importance of bridging the gap between diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Diversity alone is not enough, and true progress comes from creating a culture of inclusion. To do that we must "cross the lines of natural affinity," or find common ground and build relationships with coworkers who may be different from ourselves.

DE&I spending is projected to reach 15.4 billion by 2026 (02:05). There are questions that come with increased spending such as, "Are these dollars effective? Are they working? Are we learning how to do this better than we have in the past?" The results are mixed at best.

You cannot command and control your way to diversity and inclusion (06:58). You cannot declare your way to an inclusive culture, and awareness campaigns are not enough. You'll need parallel tracks of awareness and behaviors to make a difference. The real question to answer is, "are you modeling inclusive behaviors day in and day out, or not?"

The importance of bonding and bridging (10:34). Bonding is creating connections with people like you or those inside your natural affinity groups. Bridging is connecting with people who are not like you or outside your natural affinity groups. To create inclusion you need both. Organizations can assist in the process with discussion guides.

Interaction is not connection (19:43). In order to form a genuine connection you must be willing to engage in inquiry with the other person and be willing to share yourself. The right intent combined with those two elements will help you move from interaction to connection.

Commit to practicing inclusive behavior (35:53). There are many opportunities for inclusive behavior. They usually fall into one of these seven categories. 1) Greeting, 2)Asking, 3) Listening, 4) Sharing, 5) Inviting, 6) Helping, and 7)Protecting. Chose one of these categories of behaviors to practice over the next week.

We need accountability to succeed (41:22). If we want to move through cycles of improvement we need to practice behaviors and reflect on how we've done.

Additional Resources
How to Bridge from Diversity to Inclusion: Helping Employees Cross the Lines of Natural Affinity
5 Ways to Create Inclusion Safety
Diversity is a Fact, Inclusion is a Choice
The 4 Stages Behavior Guide

Additional Resources
LeaderFactor.com/Resources

In this episode, Tim and Junior discuss the intersection between diversity, inclusion, and innovation. We need diversity but cannot unlock the benefits of our differences without inclusion. When we have a diverse and inclusive environment innovation follows.  Moving from diversity to inclusion is a journey from awareness to action, and many organizations stop at awareness, believing that it will lead to behavioral change. Sustainable behavioral change requires a commitment rather than just compliance.

----

What is diversity? (02:38) Diversity is a matter of make-up or the composition of the team. Diversity could refer to gender, neurodiversity, political persuasion, socioeconomic class or all kinds of elements of cultural heritage. No matter how we look at diversity the composition of the team is a fact.

Why do we want diversity? (05:10) There are two forces a competitive force seeking innovation and a moral force. Those seeking innovation are working in diverse markets on complex problems with complex systems. They seek competitive advantage and understand that diversity is a component of innovation.

Inclusion activates diversity. (08:42) The argument that if we're diverse, we will be able to innovate better, more effectively, faster. The answer is that's not true unless you can activate the power of that diversity through inclusion. Inclusion becomes the activator. Inclusion becomes the enabling condition that allows us to harvest that diversity.

The five steps of innovation. (19:43) We all participate in the innovation process, innovation is embedded in everyones role. The five steps of innovation are identify a problem or opportunity, generate ideas, prioritize ideas, experiment with the best idea, and then implement if it is viable.

The three categories of innovation. (22:25) There are three basic categories of innovation; 1) product innovation 2) process innovation and 3) business model innovation.

Why do diversity initiatives fail? (31:39) The traditional approach to move from diversity to inclusion is we start with awareness moving from awareness to understanding, to appreciation of differences.  What we have learned is that that doesn't work. It's not enough. What we have learned is that you have to jump into behavior at the same time that you are trying to increase awareness, understanding, and appreciation of differences. Awareness alone will never lead to sustained behavior change.

Bonding and bridging behaviors. (38:56) It's easier to connect with people who share similar interests and demographics as you do (bonding) but harder to connect with people who don't. We need to engage in more bridging behaviors with individuals who may not share our similar interests and/or demographics if we are to move from diversity to inclusion.

Personal examples of bridging from Tim's life. (46:48) Tim shares two examples from his personal life as it relates to bonding and bridging. One example from his time at Oxford and another from his time in Korea.

Important Episode Links
Forbes: How to Bridge from Diversity to Inclusion
Diversity is a Fact, Inclusion is a Choice
What is Psychological Safety
The 4 Stages of Psychological Safety: Defining the Path to Inclusion and Innovation

Agile beginnings and the Agile Manifesto (1:00). 20 years ago at Snowbird Mountain Resort, a group of tech industry leaders gathered together to change the bureaucratic waterfall method of software development, which at the time was linear, slow, and extremely rigid. The group wanted to develop a process that was fast, flexible, and dynamic. From there, Agile became a global movement.

Agile’s failure pattern (7:15). Most agile transformations end in false starts and most agile organizations are agile in name only. Why?

What is the biggest obstacle to a successful agile transformation? (14:27) Tim and Junior discuss the possible options: Is it skills? Tools? Processes? Training? Money? Or is culture king? 

Individuals and interactions over processes and tools (16:00). Even though this is the first of Agile’s four values, it often gets pushed to the side. Tim and Junior talk about why this is detrimental to the success of any organization.

Make psychological safety the center of Agile transformation (22:15). Once you frame Agile as cultural transformation, the way you approach it fundamentally changes. It’s a workstream that’s never completed. 

Evaluate your dialogic process post-sprint (38:20). Tim gives his suggestion as to what Agile implementation could look like with a foundation of psychological safety.

Mentioned Links

Agile Doesn’t Work Without Psychological Safety Article

The Psychological Safety Behavioral Guide

Why Psychological Safety is Oxygen for the Agile Movement Webinar

During this week’s episode of Culture by Design, Tim and Junior dissect the two kinds of leaders who shy away from psychological safety: those who feed on title and status, and those who try to hide their incompetence. They encourage healthy introspection as a tool to avoid becoming one of those leaders yourself. Are you a business leader looking to introduce psychological safety into your organization? Crack yourself open with this enlightening episode.

What is psychological safety? What’s the dilemma? (1:15) Despite the transformative benefits of psychological safety, it puts insecure, mediocre, and poor leaders to the test. It becomes a leveling device that redistributes influence. For leaders who feed on title and status, it threatens their positional power. For those lacking in competence, it threatens their exposure.

Leaders who feed on title and status (9:50). Tim and Junior reference Ralph Linton and differentiate between ascribed and achieved status in the workplace. 

Do you encourage constructive dissent? (22:30) Tim and Junior talk about dissent and how healthy leaders welcome it, while unhealthy ones avoid it. 

Leaders who try to hide their incompetence (28:30). Incompetent leaders try to blend into the hierarchy they belong to. While hierarchies aren’t inherently bad, they’re also not all created equal. Tim and Junior talk about the advantages and liabilities of power hierarchies.

Who gets to participate, and who gets to decide? (37:30) Decision-making rights? Not everyone has them, and that’s on purpose. But participation rights? Everyone should have them. Why?

Imposter syndrome and psychological safety (41:00). Tim and Junior discuss when you should let self-awareness ignite change, and when you should realize that you’re not going to be perfect all the time. 

Related Links:

Why Some Leaders Are Afraid of Psychological Safety Article

How Psychological Safety Cures Imposter Syndrome

The Complete Guide to Psychological Safety

What's at stake? (0:00) If we do this well, we’ll create sanctuaries of inclusion and incubators of innovation. But if we do this poorly, we’ll be perpetually dissatisfied, we’ll create toxic cultures, and our organizations will suffer.

The current state of hiring, firing and promotion (9:00). Do most organizations make these decisions based on technical or cultural criteria? Tim and Junior talk about the process, outcome, and consequence of both.

What role does psychological safety play currently in the hiring, firing, and promotion of most organizations? (16:00) For most, it's a back seat role. If leaders aren't accounting for psychological safety, what are they looking for?

Technical competence isn't everything (19:40) Tim and Junior discuss the cultural and interpersonal components of hiring and why they should be considered in conjunction with technical skill and experience.

Psychological safety is at the heart of healthy culture (24:15). Tim gives listeners an overview of what psychological safety is and how it fits into the HR space.

The difference between cultural fit and cultural competence (29:30). Tim and Junior talk about why using the term "cultural fit" can be dangerous. Cultural competence, rather, has to do with your ability to contribute to a culture of psychological safety.

Firing and psychological safety (34:00). Tim and Junior make the claim that organizations aren't letting people go that should be let go because cultural competence is not a criterion for evaluation.

Promotion and psychological safety (44:45). Turns out, you get what you tolerate. What promotion criteria should we use to ensure that they will perpetuate healthy norms and build a vibrant culture?

Measure psychological safety on your team for free (59:45). Tim and Junior give listeners the chance to put this into practice with a totally free 4 Stages™ Team Survey license.

The Complete Guide to Psychological Safety

Hiring, Firing, and Promotion Webinar

The 4 Stages of Psychological Safety

LeaderFactor Note #12: 3 Most Deadly Hiring Mistakes

The culture dilemma (00:45). Many organizations tell us that they want to improve their culture, but often don’t know where to start. What does an unhealthy culture look like? What symptoms need to be identified and treated?

The definition of culture (02:30). Culture is the way we interact. It exists anywhere where there are humans. Parts of it are visible, while other parts of culture, not so much.  

How does culture work? (16:00) You don’t fix a culture at the top of an organization, but you can influence it at the team level. Teams need to improve their interactions by modeling and rewarding the vulnerabilities of their colleagues. 

What’s the solution? (31:00) If you want good culture, you need high levels of psychological safety. Psychological safety solves for culture at the level of interaction. 

Building great culture is a process (50:00). Just like fostering trust takes a certain level of consistency over time, psychological safety is delicate and dynamic. It requires consistent effort and deliberate action in order to build and maintain.

The Complete Guide to Psychological Safety

The Ladder of Vulnerability

The 4 Stages Behavior Guide

Vulnerability and interaction are inseparable (03:00). The workplace is vulnerable because it’s full of humans.

Why does vulnerability matter? (08:30) There’s a spectrum of vulnerability and a spectrum of responses to vulnerability. You can reward it, punish it, or do something in between.

How do we create healthy company cultures? (11:30) If we want healthy cultures where inclusion and innovation are the standards, we must reward vulnerability.

What are red zones and blue zones? (13:15) Red zones are environments of punished vulnerability, and blue zones are environments of rewarded vulnerability.

Vulnerability occurs across the 4 stages of psychological safety (24:30). Tim and Junior share common acts of vulnerability found in inclusion, learner, contributor, and challenger safety. 

Vulnerability and inclusion safety (26:00). Inclusion safety satisfies the basic human need to be included, accepted, and belong. It means it’s not expensive to be yourself. 

Vulnerability and learner safety (43:00). Acts of vulnerability in Stage 2: Learner Safety relate to learning and the discovery process. Because learning is fraught with uncertainty and risk, every person brings some level of inhibition and anxiety to the learning process. 

Vulnerability and contributor safety (48:50). Acts of vulnerability in Stage 3: Contributor Safety relate to making a meaningful contribution and reflect a willingness to be held accountable for your performance.

Vulnerability and challenger safety (53:20). Acts of vulnerability in Stage 4: Challenger Safety relate to challenging the status quo and creating value in new and different ways through innovation. 

Links: 
The Ladder of Vulnerability webinar: https://www.leaderfactor.com/webinars/the-ladder-of-vulnerability
The Ladder of Vulnerability ebook: https://www.leaderfactor.com/resources/psychological-safety-ladder-of-vulnerability
The Complete Guide to Psychological Safety: https://www.leaderfactor.com/resources/what-is-psychological-safety
How to Connect with a Person Not Like You: https://www.leaderfactor.com/notes/how-to-connect-with-a-person-not-like-you

How do you create a deeply inclusive environment? (1:15) Tim explains that there's a process and a sequence, and it starts with a focus on your values and beliefs. Once you lay the foundation, you can focus on behaviors and skills, then policies and procedures. In essence, you need to advocate for humanity over human characteristics. 

What are junk theories of superiority? (8:00) To create deeply inclusive cultures, we have to eliminate biases and preferences towards certain characteristics, which ultimately create exclusion. 

The four stages of psychological safety build inclusive cultures (10:33). As a function of respect and permission, the foundation of psychological safety is inclusion. We want to know that we belong. 

Inclusion is a human right (20:45). You shouldn't need to think about it. It's a safety that isn't earned, it's owed. 

How to create a culturally flat organization (27:15). Regardless of position, title, or authority, you should be allowed to contribute, participate, and create value.