This talk will discuss why psychological safety matters and outline strategies that engineering leaders can utilize to create a healthy and inclusive environment in the midst of uncertainty and change.
We exist in a time of rapid change in both our industry and the wider world. Given this, it is imperative that we as leaders understand how to create psychological safety and stability on our teams even in the midst of chaos. This talk will consist of four main sections:
1. Psychological safety: What it is and why it matters. This will include a brief introduction to the concept of psychological safety and how it relates to inclusion and overall job satisfaction
2. How to establish a baseline of psychological safety. Here we will cover strategies like setting company and team values, creating working agreements, and conducting regular 1:1s that allow space for team members to share concerns and ideas
3. Maintaining psychological safety during times of chaos. This section will build upon the previous section, giving further strategies specifically for when there may be changes in a team or organization
4. Key actions & behaviors. This will cover some specifics that I have found particularly useful including:
-Acknowledge the uncertainty
-Be as transparent as possible
-Give space to ask questions, voice concerns, & express feelings
-Pass along feedback & concerns where applicable
-Check in consistently
-Ask people what they need