Last week, we talked the first of six strategies rooted in positive psychology to create psychological safety. As a reminder, psychological safety is the belief that you will not be punished for making a mistake because everyone has trust for each of their team member. Here is tip #2 from Paul Santagata’s six strategies:
2. Speak human to human. Underlying every team’s who-did-what confrontation are universal needs such as respect, competence, social status, and autonomy. Recognizing these deeper needs naturally elicits trust and promotes positive language and behaviors. Santagata reminded his team that even in the most contentious negotiations, the other party is just like them and aims to walk away happy. He led them through a reflection called “Just Like Me,” which asks you to consider:
- This person has beliefs, perspectives, and opinions, just like me.
- This person has hopes, anxieties, and vulnerabilities, just like me.
- This person has friends, family, and perhaps children who love them, just like me.
- This person wants to feel respected, appreciated, and competent, just like me.
- This person wishes for peace, joy, and happiness, just like me.
Source: https://hbr.org/2017/08/high-performing-teams-need-psychological-safety-heres-how-to-create-it
