“What Is It Like to Work with me?” – A Small Question That Builds Psychological Safety in Your Workplace 

Have you ever asked yourself or a teammate “What’s it like to work with me?”

For most people, this question can be understandably intimidating. It invites vulnerability and self-awareness which can make us feel uncomfortable. However, when asked with curiosity and openness, it can be an important tool for connection, reflection and psychological safety at work.

Dr. Amy Edmondson defines psychological safety as “a climate in which people are comfortable expressing themselves, sharing concerns, and admitting mistakes without fear of embarrassment, criticism, or retaliation”.¹

Psychological safety is a shared responsibility. Leaders and teams both play a role in creating psychologically safe environments. And it can start with our own self-reflection. Reflecting on how others experience working with you can spark the kind of insight that can potentially lead to small changes that can have big impacts.

Our self-awareness can be built based on our own introspection and by also understanding how others view us. Our internal self-awareness includes how clearly, we understand our own values, reactions and passions. Whereas external self-awareness includes how clearly, we comprehend others experience of us.¹

Use these questions to explore your own impact on psychological safety in your workplace.

The answers to those questions don’t have to be perfect. They can bring up awareness of how we show up at work. Taking the time to consider this question “how do I show up at work?” can be a great first step in gaining insight to how we contribute to the culture of our workplaces.

Many factors can impact how we show up at work, including feeling disconnected from our values, chronic stress, or tensions within our teams. By slowing down to reflect and reconnect with what matters to us, and explore how trust is built and maintained, we can begin to make intentional changes that support a more psychologically safe space.

As you reflect on how you show up at work, it’s helpful to ground that reflection in what matters most to you. Often, when our behaviors don’t align with our intentions, it can be because we’ve become disconnected from our core values.

Values are like guideposts, they can show us what direction to take it when it comes to how we treat ourselves, others and the work we do. In Community Social Services, we are often faced with stress and pressure, which can be overwhelming. It can sometimes be difficult to feel connected with our values. When we lead and work in alignment with our values, we are able to show up in ways that are authentic to us and others, which can create trust in our relationships.

Start by choosing your top three core values from the list below—the ones that feel most central to who you are at work.

Or, choose your own _______________________

Showing up at work in a way that is in alignment with our values can be like a map – it can show us how we want to treat others, our clients and the work that we do.

However, connecting with others isn’t just about showing up with good intentions, it also requires us to be open to how we’re being experienced by others. Creating opportunities to hear from colleagues about what it’s like to work with us can be a key part of creating psychological safety.

Being aware of how others experience working with us can be a powerful tool to deepen trust, adjust behaviour and create psychological safety. It can be awkward to ask for feedback and requires some level of vulnerability. However, structured, safe feedback can be created by teams collaboratively in a way that feels right to everyone.²

Here are some approachable, evidence-informed ways to create feedback loops:

One-on-one Feedback can be a low stakes environment where people can be honest and can feel less confrontational than group feedback

Ask your teammate

Note: It is important to acknowledge that not everyone feels equally safe giving or receiving feedback. Supervisors have a responsibility to create a psychological safety by modelling this behaviour in a way that resonates as helpful with their teams. Not everyone feels safe giving a supervisor honest feedback due the power dynamic that exists. It is important to remember that trust takes time to build, and that building a trusting relationship involves acting on feedback and being consistent. Other factors such as lived experiences and cultural identity can affect how people give and receive feedback. Approaching situations with humility and a willingness to learn can be a helpful approach.

Team agreements/norms are written or non-written agreements of how team members want to interact and communicate with each other. Collaborating on team norms can be a great tool for showing up at work in a way that is supportive and safe. These norms can be regularly revisited and refined by team members to ensure what was discussed still works.

Team norms/agreements can explore a variety of areas. The following areas below can guide teams on what areas to focus on:

Although we can’t control people’s perception of us, we are able to show up in ways that resonate as safe for our teams. Through self-reflection, connecting with our own values and connecting with others in meaningful ways, we can feel empowered to take action and do what we can when it comes to making the workplace a healthier place for everyone.