Building Psychological Safety Through Empathetic Leadership
One of the best ways to create psychological safety in the work environment is through communication. Leading from a place of empathy and understanding, just as we do for our clients, enhances the employment experience and fosters more candid conversations, collaboration, and innovation. This, in turn, builds thriving teams and increases employee engagement and retention.
Active listening and Nonviolent Communication (NVC) are two powerful frameworks that support more effective and empathetic communication in the workplace and beyond.
Active listening is about being fully present with the person you’re communicating with. It involves using eye contact, maintaining open body language, and minimizing distractions—like putting your phone away. Key techniques such as paraphrasing and asking clarifying questions help ensure you’ve accurately understood their message. The primary goal is to help others express themselves and their needs.
Nonviolent Communication (NVC) is focused on expressing your own needs and feelings. NVC consists of three parts:
- Observation: What event or situation did you observe? Focus on what you saw or heard without judgment.
- Feeling: How did that observation make you feel in the moment?
- Analysis: What thoughts or interpretations did you form based on the observation and how it made you feel?
Both frameworks complement each other, as shown in the image below. Active listening creates space for others to share, while NVC supports you in clearly expressing your own thoughts and emotions. By engaging in active listening and incorporating nonviolent communication techniques into discussions, supervisors and managers can lead and communicate with empathy. Being clear is being kind.
The image below further illustrates the Nonviolent Communication (NVC) process. It breaks down communication into three essential steps: what you observed, how it made you feel, and the meaning you attached to it. By following this approach, you can express yourself in a way that fosters understanding and connection, while minimizing the potential for defensiveness or miscommunication.
Here’s an example that puts Nonviolent Communication into practice: “When you were continually late for your youth working shift, I felt frustrated because we are short-staffed over the long weekend, and the story I told myself was that you don’t care about your work. Help me understand what’s changed for you.”
This example follows the NVC structure by first describing the observation (being late), then expressing the feeling (frustration), followed by the interpretation (thinking they don’t care about their work), and finally opening the conversation for understanding and resolution.
Chances are, there may be factors outside of work affecting their ability to arrive on time. By utilizing this framework and incorporating the suggested phrases below while actively listening, you can gain a clearer understanding of their perspective:
- “Help me understand…” Rather than, “Why did you…?”, this phrase reframes the question as an attempt to reach understand and is less accusatory.
- “The story I’m telling myself is…” Sometimes we leap to conclusions about the motives behind a person’s actions, and attribute incorrect meanings to events. This phrase helps you express your perspective, while recognizing that there is another perspective to be learned.
- “I think that would make me feel…” This is great for active listening – it shows that you’re processing the other’s point of view and gives them a chance to state how the events made them feel.
- “What I’m hoping for is…” When having a challenging conversation, it can be useful to state your ideal outcome. This way, the other person can imagine what that outcome might mean to them and can help you both reach a mutually acceptable resolution.
- “What does support from me look like for you?” This question is not “normal” or intuitive – but it can have a big impact on the other’s perception of your desire to support them. Different people need different kinds of support in different situations, and it’s helpful to ask rather than to assume.
Some additional phrases include:
- “That sounds really difficult for you”
- “How have you gotten through feeling this way before?”
- “What can I do to support you?”
- “This is too big for the two of us. I know someone who can help”
- “I’m not sure how to help, and I want to make sure we connect you with someone who can”
Fostering psychological safety in the social services industry relies on effective communication. Leading with empathy enhances the employment experience, creating a culture of open dialogue, collaboration, and innovation. Active listening and Nonviolent Communication (NVC) are essential tools for expressing needs and feelings while ensuring others feel heard. By integrating these frameworks into everyday interactions, supervisors and managers can build thriving, engaged teams. Clear and empathetic communication strengthens workplace relationships and contributes to a more positive and productive work environment.
Have questions or want more information? Contact one of our Mental Health & Psychological Safety Consultants for free consultations and resources.