Your event day is here. You’ve planned the itinerary, selected the venue, and booked the perfect caterer for lunch.
But your work is not done. If you want people to feel welcome, comfortable, and engaged at your event, you need to lead the day with thoughtful intention. Choosing how you address your group, receive feedback, and flow with the imperfections will inform how people show up for your event.
If people aren’t collaborating like you thought they would, the missing ingredient might be psychological safety. Psychological safety is the feeling that one is safe to speak their mind, share their ideas, make mistakes, and put it all out there without risking ridicule, discipline, or exclusion. When people feel psychologically safe, they’re more likely to take risks and work together as a team.
Imagine arriving at a workshop only to find that the leaders seem to lack trust between each other, don’t have time for questions, or aren’t open to feedback. Would you feel comfortable giving your all to the work at hand?
Research shows that psychological safety can increase performance and reduce conflict. It boosts engagement and helps foster a culture of learning, as people feel safe to ask questions, give and receive feedback, and learn from their mistakes.
Whether you regularly lead a team or are organizing a single day of collaboration, planning, or team building, it's important to know how to build a psychologically safe space. Here are effective ways to help your group feel safe to share their ideas and take risks.
Start the day with a team-building activity
Team-building activities give groups a chance to build trust and improve their interpersonal relationships in a low-pressure context. They help set up a flow of communication by breaking the ice. And they give people a chance to get to know one another before diving into work.
We often suggest that groups renting out Annex of Oakley visit our neighbors at Brazee Glass Design for a group workshop. But even starting your event with a simple coffee hour gives people a chance to settle into the day and connect with others.
Welcome feedback and questions
Before your event begins, make it clear that questions and feedback are welcome. Part of what harms psychological safety is fear of constructive criticism or ignorance. Showing your group that your event is prioritizing a growth mindset in a judgment-free zone may help individuals feel comfortable opening up.
Practice active listening
Set an example for the team by practicing mindful, active listening with each interaction. Don’t just wait to respond and make your point. Instead, listen to understand and gain meaningful insight on attendees’ experiences.
Lead with vulnerability
You might think that leadership requires a perfect display of wisdom and strength. But leaders who show vulnerability may be more likely to build teams who are willing to learn from and open up about their own mistakes. You can demonstrate vulnerability at your event by sharing a time you learned from a mistake, or kicking off a brainstorming session with your own unedited ideas.
Acknowledge effort, ideas, and performance
Employee recognition can look different from person to person. But in all cases, it seems to be a driving force for greater employee satisfaction and increased motivation. And recognition doesn’t have to be saved for the best ideas. Just showing appreciation each time an attendee shares an idea or contributes in some way shows that you value their input, and can encourage more engagement.
Don’t overwhelm the schedule
You want to create a low-pressure environment where your attendees have time to process information, ask questions, and give and receive feedback. Create your event schedule with this in mind.
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