Creating a Safe Place to Learn
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This week's topic came from a conversation I had recently with a friend of mine who shared a tip (that I love) that ties strongly into the health of any team's culture. It’s a mindset and environment that leaders and coworkers can create that is key to psychological safety and better relationships across the board.
It’s a brilliant, simple mindset and practice to adopt as a team and a culture and here it is:
“This is a safe place to learn.”
Being conscious of creating a safe place to learn (and making it well known) is really important for growth, creativity, and relationships of all kinds.
Creating a safe place to learn means being intentional about fostering a place where people can ask questions, not know how to do things, need and ask for help, make mistakes, and have permission to be imperfect.
Without it, growth is slow and relationships suffer.
All of us have experienced workplaces, friendships, or situations where this is not the case at all — no one dares to speak up and ask questions or admit that they don’t know something, and people are afraid to make mistakes for fear of being ridiculed or pounced on.
“... mistakes and failures are far better teachers than success.”
The huge problem with that is that mistakes and failures are far better teachers than success. Embracing them, and seeking knowledge from others, are fast tracks to accelerated growth.
In an environment where people are afraid to make mistakes there is also a lack of risk taking and creativity. It generates behavior between people that values saving face, status, and appearances, rather than growth and improvement. The side effect of that being (of course) that people don’t grow and learn, and relationships suffer as a result.
Relationships do not thrive when people are fearful to be vulnerable or show “weakness.” Whether the relationships are work or personal ones, they are stilted if people pretend to be different than their authentic, real, imperfect selves. In order to build real connection and trust with other humans, we need to be seen and accepted as we truly are.
“In order to build real connection and trust with other humans, we need to be seen and accepted as we truly are.”
Take it upon yourself.
You can personally adopt the mentality of being a “safe place to learn.” Whether it is as a leader, as a coworker, or as a friend. Be aware and vocal by letting people around you know that they can ask questions, not know things, or make mistakes.
Be steadfast to never criticize or shame others for what they do or don’t know. Learning, in it's many forms, is how we all grow and improve.
It’s a very simple idea, and something that’s not hard to adopt. Great for leaders, great for teams, great for healthy relationships and environments for you and other people in your life and workplace.
“You don't have to be perfect here, this is a safe place to learn.”
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This article was created by Galen Emanuele for the #culturedrop. Free leadership and team culture content in less than 5 minutes a week. Check out the rest of this month's content and subscribe to the Culture Drop at https://bit.ly/culturedrop
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