Psychological research has shown that the number one factor in creating a High-Performing Team is Psychological Safety, a shared belief that the team is safe for interpersonal risk taking, in which team members feel accepted and respected. In this session we explore the notion of psychological safety and its implications for Agile adoption and coaching. Participants will gain insight into a valuable lens on group and organisational dynamics, and some tools to try out to help foster psychological safety, and some tips on how to operate in unsafe and hostile environments.

1. Psychological
Safety
foundation of effective
collaboration|
http://lanyrd.com/sfcbrd
Daniel Prager
@agilejitsu
Victoria Schiffer
@erdbeervogel
Ed O’Shaughnessy
@agileeddie

2. Safe work is ‘the gate’ to all work
Let us pass through this gate
Eiji Toyoda, 1957
Former president and chairman of Toyota
“
https://flic.kr/p/9touPG

3. Psychological safety is a sense
of confidence that the team
will not embarrass, reject or
punish someone for speaking
up.
It describes a team climate
characterized by interpersonal
trust and mutual respect in
which people are comfortable
being themselves.
Amy Edmondson
Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams
https://flic.kr/p/i8nEz

4. Inattention
to Results
Avoidance of
Accountability
Lack of
Commitment
Fear of
Conflict
Absence of
Trust
Dysfunctions
of a
Team
Psychological
Safety

5. https://flic.kr/p/e5MDZi

6. • If I ask a question or seek information, I
won’t be seen as ignorant
• When I admit a mistake or ask for help I
won’t be judged incompetent
• I can reflect openly on past performance
and failures (not just my own), without
being labelled negative
• I can seek feedback on my own
performance, without feeling that I am
wasting time or being excessively needy
https://flic.kr/p/e5MDZi

7. 1 52 43
Very
UNSAFE
Totally
SAFE
How SAFE do you feel
at work?
https://flic.kr/p/8qEzmY

8. HEADSTAND
BRAINSTORM!
https://flic.kr/p/oUnkGx

9. ACT I, SCENE I:
Roleplay!
https://flic.kr/p/2PHZ1b

10. A little Verbal Judo
Remain calm & re-direct
Disarm with empathy
Gain the initiative
Create safe options
Grin & bear it
Get sucked in
Walk away

11. ACT II, SCENE I:
Let's try that again!
https://flic.kr/p/2PHZ1b

12. 1 52 43
Very
UNSAFE
Totally
SAFE
How SAFE do you feel
at work, now?
https://flic.kr/p/8qEzmY

14. Daniel Prager, Agile Coach
Colonial First State, Skillfire, YouPatch
https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielaprager
https://agile-jitsu.blogspot.com.au/
@agilejitsu
Victoria Schiffer, Agile Coach
SEEK
https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriaschiffer
@erdbeervogel
Ed O’Shaughnessy, Agile Coach
Computershare Technology Services
https://au.linkedin.com/in/edmundoshaughnessy
@agileeddie

15. References 1:
Edmondson, A.C. Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2). 1999
http://web.mit.edu/curhan/www/docs/Articles/15341_Readings/Group_Performance/Edmondson%20Psychological%20safety.pdf
Overcoming Barriers to Collaboration: Psychological Safety and learning in Diverse Teams, Amy C. Edmondson and Kathryn S. Roloff
Team Effectiveness In Complex Organizations
https://amzn.com/0805858814
Teaming: How Organizations Learn, Innovate, and Compete in the Knowledge Economy, Amy C. Edmondson
https://amzn.com/078797093X
Building the Future: Big Teaming for Audacious Innovation, Amy Edmondson et al
https://amzn.com/1626564191
Building a psychologically safe workplace: Amy Edmondson at TEDxHGSE
https://youtu.be/LhoLuui9gX8
What Google Learned From Its Quest to Build the Perfect Team, Charles Duhigg, The New York Times Magazine, 25 Feb 2016
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/28/magazine/what-google-learned-from-its-quest-to-build-the-perfect-team.html
The five keys to a successful Google team, Julia Rozovsky
https://rework.withgoogle.com/blog/five-keys-to-a-successful-google-team/
How to Be More Productive, Stephen J. Dubner, Freakonomics Radio, 20 April 2016
http://freakonomics.com/podcast/how-to-be-more-productive/
3 ways to promote psychological safety in your team, Dr Todd Hall
http://drtoddhall.com/3-ways-to-promote-psychological-safety-in-your-team/

16. References 2:
Verbal Judo: The Gentle Art of Persuasion, George J. Thompson et al
https://amzn.com/0062107704
Verbal Judo: Diffusing Conflict Through Conversation
https://youtu.be/btBw70HAys4
Tongue Fu!: How to Deflect, Disarm, and Defuse Any Verbal Conflict, Sam Horn
https://amzn.com/0312152272
Carl Braun on Communicating Like a Grown-Up
https://www.farnamstreetblog.com/2016/03/carl-braun-communicating/
Organismic integration theory, Dr Simon Moss
http://www.sicotests.com/psyarticle.asp?id=440
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable, Patrick Lencioni
https://amzn.com/0787960756
Part 2: Intuitive creativity techniques – Three examples (Headstand technique)
http://www.kit-gruendernews.de/tag/kopfstandtechnik/?lang=en
http://www.flaticon.com/packs/
Icons designed by Freepik
www.flickr.com
Photographs c

17. https://flic.kr/p/d2A9zQ