The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth

This book hits a very important issue right on the head. The very prevalent behavior of trying to fit in while going along with what others are doing is detrimental when trying to maintain a successful team and organization. This is becoming an increasingly discussed and open topic but is rarely laid out as coherently and clearly as it is in this book.

While the book is well written and takes a unique perspective, it does take a while to fully develop from a methodology perspective. It is filled with stories and case study examples of how silence from team members kills innovation and productivity and while those are great to give examples of what not to do, sometimes it felt like they went overboard.

The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth offers practical guidance for teams and organizations who are serious about success in the modern economy. With so much riding on innovation, creativity, and spark, it is essential to attract and retain quality talent―but what good does this talent do if no one is able to speak their mind? The traditional culture of “fitting in” and “going along” spells doom in the knowledge economy. Success requires a continuous influx of new ideas, new challenges, and critical thought, and the interpersonal climate must not suppress, silence, ridicule or intimidate. Not every idea is good, and yes there are stupid questions, and yes dissent can slow things down, but talking through these things is an essential part of the creative process. People must be allowed to voice half-finished thoughts, ask questions from left field, and brainstorm out loud; it creates a culture in which a minor flub or momentary lapse is no big deal, and where actual mistakes are owned and corrected, and where the next left-field idea could be the next big thing.

This book explores this culture of psychological safety, and provides a blueprint for bringing it to life. The road is sometimes bumpy, but succinct and informative scenario-based explanations provide a clear path forward to constant learning and healthy innovation.

• Explore the link between psychological safety and high performance
• Create a culture where it’s “safe” to express ideas, ask questions, and admit mistakes
• Nurture the level of engagement and candor required in today’s knowledge economy
• Follow a step-by-step framework for establishing psychological safety in your team or organization

Shed the “yes-men” approach and step into real performance. Fertilize creativity, clarify goals, achieve accountability, redefine leadership, and much more. The Fearless Organization helps you bring about this most critical transformation.

For aspiring or emerging leaders this is an incredibly valuable book to add to your repertoire. The importance of nurturing a healthy culture and environment for your employees and team members cannot be understated.