Psychological safety, a term coined and defined by Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson, people feel psychologically safe at work when they believe that they can be themselves at work and they won't be punished or humiliated for sharing their identity, speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns or mistakes.
In short, it is how comfortable individuals are with being themselves, taking risks and being vulnerable with their team. Having a diverse workforce most certainly does not guarantee that everyone in your organization feel comfortable or valued for who they are.
One of the quickest ways to erode psychological safety is microagressions, which are the indirect or unintentional expressions of racism, sexism, ageism, or ableism. Like asking to touch a Black colleagues hair, pushing a persons wheelchair without asking or telling women to smile. These are all forms of discrimination that come out in seemingly innocuous comments by people who might be completely unaware.
It is not the one off comment that has the greatest impact, rather it is the compounded effect day in and day out of working in an environment where you have to be on alert for where the next comment might be coming from. This has the greatest detrimental impact on a persons mental and emotional wellbeing because it sends the message that they do not belong.
Given the widespread nature of microagressions, on today's episode Heather Younger, international speaker, consultant, adjunct organizational leadership professor and author of The Art of Caring Leadership shares how we can manage microagressions when they happen and build a workplace where people can be themselves.
Jennifer Fountain: What it is Like to Transition at Work
Adrienne Lawrence: Beating Workplace Sexual Harassment
(SPECIAL EPISODE) Dr. Ken Duckworth: How To Manage Your Mental Health
Liz Elting: Women Stepping Up To Lead In The COVID-19 Crisis
Julia Stern: The Problem With Pronouns
Caroline Criado-Perez: Invisible Women
Nikole Hannah-Jones: The 1619 Project
Minda Harts: The Racial Empathy Gap
Melinda Harrison: How To Manage A Career Change
Verna Myers: Leading Through Crisis
Dr. Monique W. Morris: The Criminalization of Black Girls in School
Special Episode: Michelle King Tells Her Story
Pat Mitchell: How to Become a Dangerous Woman
Darnell Moore: On Being Black In America
Amanda Goodall: Asking for a Pay Rise Won’t Close the Pay Gap
Sarah Sutton: The One Thing That Makes Workplaces Work For Everyone
Rebecca Sive: How To Vote Her In
Tayo Rockson: Use Your Difference To Make A Difference
Gina Rippon: The Gendered Brain
Elena Favilli: If You Can See It, You Can Be It
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