077: The 5 C’s of Psychological Safety with Vicky Smith

In this episode of Evolve: A New Era of Leadership, I am joined by Vicky Smith, a senior consultant at Working Well in the UK. We delve into the vital topics of wellness and psychological safety in the workplace, exploring what leaders can do to create environments where employees can truly thrive.

Vicky Smith, Senior Consultant at WorkingWell, is passionate about sharing her knowledge and has more than 20 years of consulting, coaching, facilitation and training experience in locations across the globe. She holds an MSc in Organisation Development and Consultancy, an MSc in Psychology and an MSc in Applied Health and Exercise. She is working through a PhD, researching psychological safety in organizations, and is also a qualified NLP trainer, psychotherapist, and executive coach.

🔑 Key Themes & Takeaways:

• The Importance of Psychological Safety: Vicky discusses the concept of psychological safety, emphasizing the need for trust within teams and the challenges faced when extending this trust outside the immediate team environment.
  
  

• Building Trust and Authenticity: Insights into practical strategies for fostering trust and authenticity among team members, and the role leaders play in setting the tone for open, honest communication.
  
  

• Overcoming Workplace Pressure: The conversation highlights the intense pressure in modern workplaces, exacerbated by the pandemic, and how this impacts employee well-being and organizational culture.
  
  

• Creating Supportive Systems: Vicky explains the necessity of systemic changes within organizations to support psychological safety, rather than placing the burden solely on individuals to become more resilient.
  
  

• Practical Steps for Leaders: Vicky shares practical models and steps from her book, "Brave New Leader," to help leaders create psychologically safe environments and enhance team performance.

We talk about:

• 00:00 Intro

• 04:17 Understanding Psychological Safety

• 07:43 Building Trust and Team Dynamics

• 11:57 The Impact of Workplace Pressure

• 23:12 Navigating Power Dynamics in Teams

• 34:43 The Five C's of Psychological Safety

• 36:33 Practical Examples and Final Thoughts

• 38:00 Vicki's Book and Final Questions
  
  

#PsychologicalSafety #Leadership #Wellbeing #TrustInTheWorkplace #BraveNewLeader

Connect with Vicky

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vickysmith121/ 

• Website: https://www.workingwell.co.uk/ 

Connect with me

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolynswora/