Creating Safe Spaces: Insights from Agile Coaches

Wayne, as an Agile Coach, how do you facilitate a sense of psychological safety for employees?

In my role, I aim to create a secure environment where individuals can engage openly. During one-on-one coaching sessions, I often emphasize that our discussions are confidential right from the start, or I formalize this through an agreement with the coachee. In group settings, I ensure participants feel comfortable sharing their thoughts by being sensitive to power dynamics (like the presence of a manager) and guiding the session accordingly. For instance, I might suggest that a manager step out temporarily to allow the team to communicate freely. Additionally, I prioritize confidentiality when discussing sensitive topics, always seeking permission before sharing anything outside the group.

Kyle, how do you create a psychologically safe environment in your coaching?

When working with teams, I emphasize that mistakes are opportunities for learning. I consciously avoid casting blame or making individuals feel judged. Instead, I redirect focus toward what can be learned from the experience, encouraging collaborative problem-solving. This way, the issue itself becomes the focal point rather than the individual, allowing team members to feel safe to experiment and try new solutions. If a proposed solution doesn't work, I motivate them to keep trying. As long as they demonstrate a willingness to learn, making mistakes is not only acceptable but encouraged.

How to Create Psychological Safety at Work - YouTube

This video explores practical strategies to cultivate psychological safety in workplace settings, emphasizing the importance of creating a supportive environment.

Moderate Risk-Taking in Tech

Wayne, where do you see room for moderate risk-taking in your work?

I'm intrigued by the varying attitudes towards risk across organizations. For example, financial institutions often have robust risk management processes, but these rarely trickle down to IT departments or Product Owners who prioritize work in the backlog. I've observed that some organizations are quite risk-averse, often paralyzed by the pressure to perform.

In these cases, I've successfully implemented two strategies to guide leaders and Product Owners in making balanced, risk-aware decisions. First, I encourage them to evaluate backlog items not just based on business value but also considering risk factors. This approach helps them identify potentially risky components early, enabling better management of those risks and fostering a more comfortable atmosphere for taking calculated risks. Additionally, I've utilized Kahneman's Prospect Theory to shift discussions from potential gains to potential losses, promoting moderate risk-taking.

The play workshop: Building psychological safety at work | Team '23 | Atlassian - YouTube

This video showcases a workshop designed to help teams cultivate psychological safety, focusing on practical exercises and team dynamics.

Embracing Failure as a Learning Tool

Kyle, how can tech organizations genuinely embrace the concept of "fail fast" while providing support?

Human beings learn through failure, but an exclusive focus on failing quickly can be shortsighted. The key is to learn from those failures and act on that learning. While failure often carries negative repercussions—financial, temporal, and reputational—embracing a culture of rapid feedback can alleviate the risks associated with failure. For example, consider a team that shares a prototype with customers early in the development process. If they discover the product isn't what the users want, they can pivot quickly and minimize the impact of that failure.

I recommend tech companies actively seek customer feedback during the development cycle. For instance, a company working on scheduling features might share updates on social media to solicit input. This proactive approach allows for quick learning and course correction.

The Role of Trust in Fostering Psychological Safety

Wayne, how can organizations reconcile the concept of trust with its practical implications?

Trust and reality often diverge—trust must be earned. When establishing working agreements, many express a desire for trust to be integral. However, few can articulate what trust looks like in practice. Meaningful discussions can arise when exploring factors that breed distrust, which usually relate to reliability and accountability. Trustworthy individuals follow through on commitments and support their colleagues, while untrustworthy ones do not.

For teams struggling with trust—especially among leaders—I often employ Lencioni's 5 Dysfunctions of a Team framework. Walking teams through these dysfunctions helps them identify necessary actions to cultivate trust.

Kyle, how can alternative viewpoints contribute to a tech company's success?

As a leader, I believe it's crucial to encourage the sharing of dissenting opinions. The best ideas should prevail, not just the loudest voices. Fostering an environment that promotes learning and experimentation is vital. Even if I have reservations about an idea, allowing teams the autonomy to explore it can yield valuable insights.

It's essential to grant teams the freedom to tackle smaller challenges independently before entrusting them with more significant decisions. A leader's role is to empower their team, granting increasing autonomy as they demonstrate capability.