A team that grows and learns is the backbone of a company. After embracing all the new cloud technologies, artificial intelligence, and automated systems, people do the vital work.
Creating a safe environment where constructive criticism and new ideas are both welcome fosters team spirit and growth. But it isn’t easy.
George Burns once said, “The most important thing about acting is honesty. If you can fake that, you’ve got it made.”
In other words, he was making a joke of trying to fake being genuine. You can’t embrace caring, concern, and support for your team using mere techniques. Team building is a matter of being human with other humans. While this can be learned, it doesn’t come from memorizing a list of responses. Creating a safe environment is as much an art as it is a science.
What a safe environment looks like
Sharing thoughts and ideas are encouraged. A safe environment develops when everyone feels comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas without fear of judgment or the risk of punishment. When employees feel they are not in danger of missing out on promotions, they will be more willing to engage honestly and openly with their teams.
Being different is not just okay; it is welcomed. Leaders should convey to staff that it is as beneficial to stand out as it is to fit in. Let employees know they may be recognized and advanced for their willingness to offer new ideas.
Teams should be encouraged to embraces their differences as well as likenesses, and listen openly to each other, seeking to create the right solution. Each person should ensure they display positive intentions and that their ideas are suggestions are made with good intent.
It’s good to try something new. A person who offers a new approach instead of going along with old solutions is seen as an innovator, not as an impractical dreamer. A good leader does not respond to new ideas with, “That’s not the way we have always done it.”
Key ways to build and maintain a safe environment
- Ensure that everyone on your team knows that they are not at an annual review every day. Tell them it’s okay to make a mistake and acknowledge it, provided you own it and move forward by learning from it.
- As a leader, admit your flaws, faults, and mistakes as soon as you realize them and demonstrate how you apply any lessons you’ve learned along the way. Share similar learning moments with those who own their mistakes to help them feel safe.
- Support and empower your team to make decisions appropriate to their role and to own them. It is vital to let employees know they don’t have to run to you for permission every time they make a decision. Trust them to make good choices, and you will build rapport and confidence. Make it clear what kinds of decisions should be brought to you.
Avoid pitfalls when encouraging critical feedback
You can’t have a safe environment if there are team members who judge others, take mistakes personally, or refuse to apply lessons learned. If you find you have a person like this, you may have to make a tough decision about whether they can remain a part of the team.
Make it clear what values you are expecting employees to embrace. For example, a safe environment requires respect for all team members, collaboration, honoring diverse opinions, and accepting ideas you may disagree with.
Don’t use mistakes as weapons when it’s time for performance reviews. You can acknowledge that they happened, but make it clear you want to hear about growth and learning from those mistakes. Employees are human at work and need to be able to make mistakes. Avoid any judgemental and shaming language. Always try to build people up rather than tear them down.
Never compare an employee’s performance to another team member’s or your own. If someone else fixes the problem created by a team member, don’t make them the hero. Comparing employees to each other is not only bad form, but it is also bad for morale.
Recognize that we’re all learning as we go
All of this acceptance of mistakes does not mean you should ignore issues that come up. Addressing concerns honestly and openly shows that you are kind but not a pushover. Keep comments professional instead of personal. No one is right all of the time, and not every proposed solution will be the correct one. There are new lessons to be learned every day, from success as well as failure.
A safe environment can produce innovation and improvements much more readily than a fearful environment can. Employees who have worked under the watchful eye of a fear-based manager may be suspicious of a more understanding approach. Allow time to earn their trust, and don’t forget to earn theirs. Being the boss is not about always being right; it is about collaborating with your team. Learn together and grow together, every day.