THE PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY PLAYBOOK

Helbig and Norman declare that it’s time to make the office friendly to dissenting ideas, diverse employees, and human foibles in this leadership primer.

The authors, leadership consultants who were formerly a management consultant and a corporate executive, introduce readers to the corporate “psychological safety” movement, which seeks to enable employees to fully participate in the organization, speak their minds, and pursue novel initiatives without fear of punishment, enabling them to counteract the tendencies toward groupthink and institutional sclerosis in organizations that are rigidly hierarchical. Helbig and Norman present a series of “plays” that can be developed by learning practical skills. These skills include “communicating courageously” with underlings about uncomfortable issues; listening attentively; managing one’s reactions and avoiding getting defensive and angry when co-workers disagree with you; tolerating risk and failure as the necessary prices of learning new things; admitting when you need help and thanking people for their contributions; and knowing how to “design inclusive rituals”—like appointing an “Inclusion Booster”—to make sure that everyone gets heard. The authors convey all this with a mix of concise theory, bullet-pointed tips, and Helbig’s sprightly stick-figure illustrations. The book in large part boils down to a hands-on manual for running team meetings, a central institution of corporate life, in a productive fashion. Writing in lucid, evocative prose, Helbig and Norman offer a deep analysis of the manager’s leadership role in meetings, covering everything from individual psychology (“notice your feelings and your bodily reactions”) to the nuances of group dynamics (“Be aware of people who look as if they want to contribute but are having trouble figuring out how to jump in, and invite them to speak”). The authors provide simple, deft scripts (“Rhonda didn’t get to finish what she was saying; I’d like to hear what she has to say before we move on”) that leaders can use to keep everyone involved in the conversation. The result is an enlightening look at improving corporate cultures at their roots.

A useful, pithy guide to a respectful and welcoming workplace.