Talk | Best Agile Articles Conference -- Sept 28th, 2020 Findings from recent interviews and observations with medium to large size organisations in the Middle East and Asia Pacific region - Why Psychological Safety is Critical - Good Practices - Bad Practices Growing Interest in Psychological Safety Definition Impact on teams Zones Fear and Seeking systems of mammalian brains Impacts of toxic cultures Mental Health symptoms since COVID-19 outbreak Pandemic of Uncertainty Confusing Productivity with Performance Digital Panopticons Backbiting Authentic Communication and Vulnerability Modelling Wellness Check-ins Compassionate layoffs

1. PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY
IN THE TIME OF PANDEMIC
WHY PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY IS CRITICAL
BAD PRACTICES
GOOD PRACTICES

2. SEARCHES FOR
“PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY”

3. “ Psychological safety is being able to show and
employ one’s self without fear of negative
consequences of self-image, status or career.”
WILLIAM KHAN: FATHER OF EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

4. LESS LIKELY TO LEAVE
MORE LIKELY TO HARNESS
THE POWER OF DIVERSE
IDEAS FROM TEAMMATES
BRING IN MORE REVENUE
RATED AS EFFECTIVE TWICE
AS OFTEN BY EXECUTIVES
INDIVIDUALS ON TEAMS WITH
HIGHER PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY
GOOGLE: PROJECT ARISTOTLE
180 TEAMS

5. PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY
ACCOUNTABILITYFORMEETINGDEMANDINGGOALS
“ Psychological safety is not the
same as a safe space. It is not a
space where you will always feel
comfortable and not have your
views challenged. It is almost the
opposite. It’s a brave space…”
AMY EDMONDSON

6. THE EMOTIONAL CIRCUITS
OF MAMMALIAN BRAINS
Jaak Panksepp

7. WHEN ONE SYSTEM IS ACTIVATED,
THE OTHER SHRINKS BACK
ONCE THE FEAR SYSTEM IS TRIGGERED
IT IS HARD TO TURN IT OFF
IT TAKES TIME TO RE-IGNITE
POSITIVE EMOTIONS AND BEHAVIOURS
Jaak Panksepp

8. Have you or your colleagues experienced
symptoms of a toxic culture?
If so, what?
Q:

9. Anxiety
Depression
Burnout
Cynicism
Helplessness
Social Isolation
Loss of Confidence
Feeling Undervalued
Paula Brough and Vicki Webster
Psychological
Anger
Disappointment
Distress
Fear
Frustration
Mistrust
Resentment
Humiliation
Insomnia
Hair Loss
Weight Loss/Gain
Headaches
Stomach Upsets
Viruses & Colds
Emotional Physical
IMPACTS ON WELLBEING

10. Jaak Panksepp
Qualtrics / Mind Share Partners

11. BAD PRACTICE

12. “ People would often rather deal with
the certainty of bad news than the
anxiety of remaining in limbo.”
HenrikDrescher
PANDEMIC OF UNCERTAINTY
Kate Sweeny

13. “ I wish senior management would just let us
know what they are thinking, even if it is bad …
just treat us like adults”
Various Executives
“ It would take so little effort to let us know what
the situation is, even for the next few months”
“ We are getting no information from above.
Do they even understand the problem?”

14. Have you experienced high levels
of uncertainty and dread?
If so, how did it make you feel?
Q:

15. GOODHART'S LAW
CONFUSING PRODUCTIVITY
WITH PERFORMANCE
“When a measure becomes a target,
it ceases to be a good measure.”

16. “ Productivity has increased — SLAs are being
exceeded, people never log-off — but
performance is way down … people are making
mistakes all over the place.”
Senior Manager

17. “ People are afraid to call in sick or seek medical
advice in case they get flagged … they are
beyond stressed, their hair is falling out … two
people have dropped dead at work.”
Mid-level Manager

18. Is your oganisation highly focussed
on metrics?
If so, what are the consequences?
Q:

19. InterGuard employee monitoring software
DIGITAL PANOPTICONS
“Quickly identify your team’s
superstars, time-thieving
slackers and in-betweeners”

20. “ People are expected to work 24/7. If they don’t
respond instantly to a Basecamp notifcation
they are assumed to be non-productive. It is
extremely stressful.”
Team Leader

21. Is there some form of surveillance
in your organisation?
If so, how does it make you feel?
Q:

22. Various Employees
BACKBITING
“Someone would rather throw you
under a bus than admit a mistake”
“Protect yourself at whatever cost
— there is no team, just ‘I’”

23. Has backbiting (mean or spiteful speech)
increased at your organistion?
If so, why do you think it has?
Q:

24. GOOD PRACTICE

25. Brené Brown
“Authenticity is a collection of
choices that we have to make
every day. It’s about the choice to
show up and be real. The choice
to be honest. The choice to let
our true selves be seen.”
COMMUNICATE AUTHENTICALLY
+ MODEL VULNERABILITY

26. CHECK-IN FREQUENTLY
+ DEMAND CIVILITY
“I shared that I wasn’t sleeping
well and simply asked if others
were having difficulty too”
Senior Manager

27. “ I feel redundant. I am redundant.
Those words sit heavily on my shoulders.
I feel like Atlas. The world around me darkens
and my hand shakes ever so slightly as I sign
the document that cements the words.
A business decision. Decision made.
And like that I’m gone.”
Scott Rhodie
LAYOFF WITH COMPASSION

28. What are your take-aways?
What is one thing you can do to increase
psychological safety in your team?
Q:

29. Linkedin/JohnDobbin
@JohnDobbin