Alla Weinberg, CEO of SPOKE & WHEEL, says that the key to designing relationships that resolve (even avoid) workplace tensions is to have different conversations than the ones we’re currently having. Our relentless focus on the work, she explains, distracts us from focusing on the people and making sure that we have created an organization where they feel safe.

Alla is a culture designer who has incorporated her design background with the principles of neuroscience, positive psychology, and relationship research. She is also an author; in her book, A Culture of Safety, she applies these principles to improve workplace culture. In our chat with Alla, she defines psychological safety through these lenses.

“To create psychological safety,” Alla continues, “we need to intentionally find time for conversations that are drastically, even radically different than what we are doing right now.”

Yes, we are at work to perform a job, to deliver a solution for our clients. But there are times, she says, when not talking about work creates deeper connections and, as a result, more resilient teams. Creating these connections is an opportunity to practice leadership, by introducing (if not modeling) candor and vulnerability.

“Leaders need to get vulnerable first,” she adds. “If you’re a leader and you’re seeing evidence that people don’t feel safe, you need to say that. Then ask your teams, ‘what am I doing to create that environment?’ And when they tell you, don’t be defensive or try to justify your behavior.

“Show yourself to be vulnerable and say, ‘Yes, I am doing that and I’m going to try to be better.’”

Keep in mind: psychological safety and resilience are not the same. It’s only when leaders create a psychologically safe environment for individuals that we can create resilient organizations.

Looking for more tips from Alla Weinberg to build resilience in your organization? Be sure to listen to the entire conversation.

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