On Psychological Safety

I’ll start by saying that I’m using the term “psychological safety” as it is currently used in today’s corporate world, not as described by Amy Edmundson. [1] In today’s workplace it has come to mean “comfortable”, “risk averse” or just “nice”. It is now consultant-speak, yet another way for consultants and Agile coaches (sic) to convince companies that they are broken and need fixing—by those, of course, who purloined the phrase in the first place. Yes, our IT environments are often toxic, but it is only the people within those environments that can change that. Relying on managers, coaches or other external professionals to do that for us actually perpetuates the problem. This is why.

We have a whole generation of software developers, testers, designers, etc. who are afraid. A whole generation of people terrified of losing their jobs. Why are they terrified? Good question. There’s plenty of jobs out there for good people. They are terrified because they are not very good. They are terrified of poverty (“poverty” being relative, of course — a software developer in Silicon Valley is in poverty if they are earning less than $100,000 per year!) They are terrified that no one else, apart from the toxic company who currently employs them will give them a job. And rightly so. Who wants fearful people on their workforce?

So, fearful, half-skilled people cowering in toxic environments. What can an Agile coach do? Maybe encourage those individuals with their out-of-date skills to actually become better at the craft they have chosen. And stop wishing everyone around them would fix things on their behalf, to make their lives safe and secure — and profitable. It seems we have an entire generation of people who have not yet reached adulthood, and are looking to their managers, leaders, coaches, etc. to be their mums and dads.

When people are independent, and unafraid, they will speak out. They won’t feel safe, they will be safe. When craftspeople are skilled at their craft they will always be employable. So we need to stop fixing things for other people, and confront them with their own truth: You’re not very good. Get better. Take responsibility. Grow up. [2]

It’s time for real change. It is not time to apply bandages, and proffer drugs, it is time to look towards holistic medicine. It is time to heal. So all you do-gooders out there, looking to fix things, please stop. Instead confront people with their reality, and be there to guide and support. That’s about the best help you can be.

“Freedom is the choice to be a creator of our own experience and accept the unbearable responsibility that goes with that. Out of this insight grows the idea that perhaps the real task of leadership is to confront people with their freedom.” — Peter Block

[1] E.g. Psychological Safety: The History, Renaissance, and Future of an Interpersonal Construct, by Amy C. Edmondson and Zhike Lei, 2014
[2] Watch the 800lb Agile Gorilla episode on psychological safety