Psychological Safety: A Contradiction

You make a point. They make a counterpoint. You counter their counterpoint with your original point. They recycle their counterpoint. You both think the other person isn't listening because if the other truly understood you, they would agree with you because you're obviously right. Many of our conflicts turn circular because we get confused about whether we misunderstand one another or whether we understand each other perfectly and just disagree. Sometimes leadership means being the one to slow down and figure out what's happening, real time, so you can figure out the best thing to do next. Ask questions or learn more about Andy and Lead Forward Co. using the information below: Email: [email protected] Website: ⁠LeadForwardCo.com⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠www.linkedin.com/in/lead-forward-co⁠

One of the most important EQ skills for leaders (or for people in general) is differentiation. Differentiation is about learning how to tell the difference between your own emotions, identities, and experiences and those of others so we can stay connected without becoming unproductively enmeshed in other people's stuff. There are a thousand ways it shows up at work, including micromanaging, empathy, and feedback. Ask questions or learn more about Andy and Lead Forward Co. using the information below: Email: [email protected] Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LeadForwardCo.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/lead-forward-co

"How do you handle weaknesses?" It's one of the most common questions from leaders that like the idea of a strengths based perspective, but also have questions about what growth and development look like around the things we're not so good at. This episode shares ideas about how to navigate your weaknesses rather than attempting to eliminate them as you take a strengths based approach to leadership and professional development. Ask questions or learn more about Andy and Lead Forward Co. using the information below: Email: [email protected] Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠LeadForwardCo.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/lead-forward-co

Sustainability in leadership development is a hot topic. How do we avoid losing traction? How do we get everyone on board with practicing great leadership? It's helpful to review concepts. It's important to embed a focus on leadership in our processes and communications. But there's no substitute for top-level leaders walking the talk. Ask questions or learn more about Andy and Lead Forward Co. using the information below: Email: [email protected] Website: ⁠⁠⁠LeadForwardCo.com⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/lead-forward-co

Psychological safety is about teams feeling safe to take interpersonal risks with one another, like giving feedback, disagreeing, or admitting mistakes. But there's a fundamental contradiction between the words "risk" and "safe" that presents a challenge when we really try to understand what psychological safety truly is. Ask questions or learn more about Andy and Lead Forward Co. using the information below: Email: [email protected] Website: ⁠⁠LeadForwardCo.com⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/lead-forward-co

I hear more and more about "flat" organizations. It's a great concept, though flat orgs are often accompanied by an overactive aversion to authority that leads to a lack of clarity and accountability. This episode is about how we can change the way we think and talk to focus less on authority and more on responsibility and leadership skills. Ask questions or learn more about Andy and Lead Forward Co. using the information below: Email: [email protected] Website: ⁠LeadForwardCo.com⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠www.linkedin.com/in/lead-forward-co

Some problems can be solved once and for all. Some problems are big enough that we exit the situation. But what about the problems that are nether "solvable" or "deal breakers"? In this episode, we ponder the nature of perpetual problems and what it takes to move forward together in spite of persistent differences or disagreements. Ask questions or learn more about Andy and Lead Forward Co. using the information below: Email: [email protected] Website: LeadForwardCo.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lead-forward-co

It's not what you are on the inside, but what you do that defines you. Leadership isn't so much an identity as it is a set of actions one consistently engages is. And what are these actions? Listen to find out. Ask questions or learn more about Andy and Lead Forward Co. using the information below: Email: [email protected] Website: ⁠LeadForwardCo.com⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠www.linkedin.com/in/lead-forward-co⁠

Sometimes change happens to you, and sometimes you're responsible to create it. Part of being a leader is taking responsibility to not only manage change, but to lead people through it. Ask questions or learn more about Andy and Lead Forward Co. using the information below: Email: [email protected] Website: ⁠LeadForwardCo.com⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠www.linkedin.com/in/lead-forward-co⁠

Confirmation bias means we look for evidence to support what we already believe. When we trust someone's intentions, we interpret their actions generously because it supports our view of them as trustworthy. But what happens when we don't trust their intentions? Can we make room for them to grow? Ask questions or learn more about Andy and Lead Forward Co. using the information below: Email: [email protected] Website: ⁠LeadForwardCo.com⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠www.linkedin.com/in/lead-forward-co⁠