Before we dive into today's video, I want to emphasize that these 5-minute DEI discussions are not meant to be comprehensive or exhaustive. Instead, they serve two main purposes for you, the viewer.
Firstly, these discussions may introduce you to a topic you're not familiar with, and I encourage you to do further research on your own to learn more. Additionally, if you're interested in a deeper dive, feel free to leave a comment and request a longer video. I love this work, so I'll certainly consider it.
Alternatively, these videos may serve as a refresher on a topic you're already familiar with, but perhaps haven't thought about or considered recently. Either way, my goal is to provide helpful insights and facilitate meaningful conversations around diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Without further ado, let’s talk about the importance of psychological safety in the workplace.
Let’s start by defining psychological safety. Psychological safety is essentially the belief that you can express your ideas, opinions, and concerns without fear of negative consequences. Meaning, you can feeling comfortable enough to speak up in meetings, share your unique perspectives (even if they are contrarian), admit to mistakes, and offer suggestions without worrying about being ridiculed, shamed, embarrassed, punished, or even retaliated against.
Establish a company culture that is rooted in psychological safety is imperative to fostering an inclusive workplace. Inclusion cannot happen without psychological safety
When everyone feels safe to share their thoughts and opinions, you're more likely to gather diverse ideas, which can in turn lead to increased innovation and creativity.
But it’s important to note that it's often harder for marginalized and underrepresented individuals to establish psychological safety. Microaggressions, feelings of exclusion, and other biases can all contribute to an unsafe and unwelcoming environment, which can create a sense of isolation and prevent individuals from speaking up and contributing their best work.
Which is why it's so important for leaders and managers to prioritize psychological safety and actively work to create a safe and welcoming environment for their team.
Individuals contributors can also do their part by being aware of and checking their own biases and assumptions, actively including others, and listening with an open mind. And note that, listening with an open mind doesnt mean listening with the intent to be changed by what you hear, but simply actively listening with the intent to ingest what is being said by another person, and trying to understand (not agree with) their perspectiv
By everyone prioritizing psychological safety, we can collectively create a workplace that is not only more inclusive, but more productive and innovative as well.
That’s all for today, Thanks for watching. If you enjoyed this video, be sure to like, subscribe, and share with a friend. I’ll see you back here tomorrow!
Resources for today's discussion: