Page 26 - World Airnews Magazine March 2021

FEATURE FEATURE

Photo by Hans Dorries on Unsplash environment that allow dissenting views. TRUST THOSE YOU WORK WITH ENCOURAGE CURIOSITY

In a safety critical environment psycho- Trust the people you have trained. It is Having an open mind, being accessible
logical safety is not only important but most believed that they will execute tasks given and curious gives an impression that you
likely to be a barrier between life and death. to them diligently, efficiently and effective- care about what others have to say. The

Like human wellbeing, psychological safe- ly. Edmondson’s research on psychological excellent team consists of members who
ty is important for a healthy organisation. safety draws a connection between trust are humble in the face of calamity and are

Speaking up is made easy when one knows and psychological safety. She notes that curious about what others offer.
that they will not get into trouble for raining psychological safety describes a team If you want your employees to be happy,
up what may not be working well in the sys- climate characterized by interpersonal trust inspired, dedicated, motivated, creative,

tem. In the areas of workplace collaboration and mutual respect in which people are imaginative, and high performing, you will

and teamwork, Edmondson has established comfortable being themselves. have to work hard to build a workplace and
the value of psychological safety. social atmosphere that promotes psycho-
Today, so many organisations rely on ALLOW DIFFERING POINT OF VIEWS logical safety. We feel free to exchange

efficient ways of working together (more It is considered a disadvantage as per psy- thoughts, and mistakes in a psychologically

so those in the knowledge economy and chological safety to stop people from raising safe workplace. We are less concerned

operating in complex environment), it is not issues even if it is something that they do not about our reputation being protected and

surprising that alongside employee experi- like to hear. The same can be said when one more focused on doing exceptional work.

ence and corporate culture, psychological enforces draconian restrictions on employ- That is, we are free to concentrate on the

safety has started to be granted a seat at the ees, particularly rules or infrastructure that purpose of the organisation and contribute

table. Like employee experience and culture, limit communication. Create copious paths to to it. Q
psychological safety gives the impression leadership, provide feedback channels, and

that it is hazy and hard to tackle. It might be promote conversation to overcome this.

daunting, like most things involving human This piece by Matita Tshabalala is a
beings, especially at the workplace. Howev- OPEN CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION Human Factors Specialist/Aviation

CREATING PSYCHOLOGICAL er, that doesn’t mean that you should not Encourage the distribution of information Psychologist (Registered with the
across various divisions or departments and
consider addressing or thinking about it, and

European Association for Aviation

act to strengthen it so that everyone in the across the corporate hierarchy. In short, at Psychology. Industrial Psychologist
all levels. Being open to each other not only

organisation feel safe to speak up.
SAFETY FOR BETTER RESULTS HOW TO ENHANCE PSYCHOLOGICAL provides an atmosphere conducive to culti- (Registered with HPCSA)

References: Edmondson, A. C.

SAFETY vating successful working relationships, but (2019). The fearless organisation:
also gives one the courage and confidence to

Creating psychological safety in the

By Matita Tshabalala, ATNS Human Factors There are several different ways of foster- raise any concern as and when appropriate workplace for learning, innovation,

Specialist/Aviation Psychologist ing psychological safety in the workplace. or required to do so. As a result, before they and growth. John Wiley & Sons:
become too heavy to manage, problems are
At least four that are easy to incorporate
Hoboken, New Jersey
his boss to get help with a request for satel- say, “I chose not to speak,” or “I felt it was and work with are hereby highlighted. prone to be dealt with successfully.
lite images. His boss thought it unnecessary not right to speak.” He said that he “couldn’t”

n her book, “The fearless organisation: and said so. speak. Oddly, this description is apt.

ICreati ng Psychological Safety in the Discouraged, Rocha sent an emotional The psychological experience of having

Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and email to his fellow engineers, later explain- something to say yet feeling literally unable

Growth”, Prof Amy Edmondson (2019) ing “engineers were . . . not to send mes- to do so is painfully real for many employ-

narrate a story of what transpired during sages much higher than their own rung in ees and very common in organisational

NASA’s Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. the ladder.” Working with an ad hoc team hierarchies, like that of NASA - in 2003.
On February 1, 2003, NASA’s Space Shut- of engineers to assess the damage, he was We can all recognise this phenomenon. We
tle Columbia experienced a catastrophic unable to do anything without the required understand why his hands spontaneously
images. A week later, when the foam strike

re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere. All possibility was briefly discussed by senior depicted that poignant vertical ladder. When

seven astronauts perished. Although space managers in their formal mission manage- probed, as Rocha was by Gibson, many
travel is clearly dangerous, fatal incidents ment team meeting, Rocha, sitting on the people report a similar experience of feeling

seem to be part of the territory. This par- periphery, observed silently. unable to speak up when hierarchy is made

ticular accident did not come “out of the salient. In most instances, Management is not

blue.” Two weeks earlier, a NASA engineer A formal investigation by experts would privy or able to see these intricate develop-

named Rodney Rocha had watched launch- later conclude that a large hole in the shuttle ments in the behaviour of their own staff.
day video footage, a day after what had wing occurred when a briefcase-sized piece Sadly, it is through this silence that nothing

seemed to be a picture-perfect launch on a of foam hit the leading edge of the wing, gets improved in organisations. In high risk

sunny Florida morning. causing the damage and resultant accident. environments such as NASA, where things

Yet there was something amiss. Rocha They also identified two, albeit difficult and are tightly connected, it is through sharing

played the tape over and over. He thought highly uncertain, rescue options that might information that accidents can possibly be
have prevented the tragic deaths.

a chunk of insulating foam might have fall- averted. Psychological safety in such settings

en off the shuttle’s external tank and struck Reporting on the investigation, ABC News is very important and must be promoted.

the left wing of the craft. The video images anchor Charlie Gibson asked Rocha why he SO WHAT IS PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY?

were grainy, shot from a great distance, had not said anything at the meeting. The
and it was impossible to really tell whether engineer replied, “I just couldn’t do it. I’m Coined by Professor Amy Edmondson, the

foam had caused damage or not. Rocha too low down [in the organization] . . . and term ‘psychological safety’ is a belief that
could not help but worry about the size and she [meaning Mission Management Team one will not be punished or humiliated for

position of the grainy moving dot he saw Leader Linda Ham] is way up there,” gestur- speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns

on the screen. To resolve the ambiguity, ing with his hand held above his head. or mistakes. So often we hear after the
Rocha wanted to get satellite photos of the Rocha’s statement captures a subtle but fact that someone knew or suspected
Shuttle’s wing. This would require NASA crucial aspect of the psychology of speak- that something was going or was likely to

management to request assistance from ing up at work. happen but did not say anything. People Photo by SpaceX on Unsplash
the Department of Defence. Rocha emailed Consider his words carefully. He did not are more likely to raise their concerns in the
World Airnews | March 2021 World Airnews | March 2021
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