Build Trust With 3 Questions
This leadership tactic builds trust and psychological safety within your team by creating a direct channel for feedback.
Summary
Inspired by research on effective management practices, this approach involves asking three key questions to your team members: what to continue, what to do more often, and how to improve their effectiveness. By actively seeking input, you demonstrate openness to feedback and a commitment to continuous improvement, fostering a culture of open communication and mutual support.
The idea
This leadership tactic builds psychological safety within your team and creates a direct opportunity for your team to share feedback with you directly. It sends a trust-strengthening message: please help me improve.
The Evidence
A lot of what goes into creating a psychologically safe environment are good management practices — things like establishing clear norms and expectations so there is a sense of predictability and fairness; encouraging open communication and actively listening to employees; making sure team members feel supported; and showing appreciation and humility when people do speak up.
Actions to Take
Send an email or schedule a 1:1 with each of your direct reports and ask three questions:
- What is one thing I currently do that you’d like me to continue to do
- What is one thing I don’t do enough of that you’d like me to do more often
- What can I do to make you more effective?
Sources
Adapted from The Culture Playbook by Daniel Coyle.Creating Psychological Safety, HBR
Build Trust With 3 Questions
Boost Psychological Safety with Direct Feedback
Summary
Inspired by research on effective management practices, this approach involves asking three key questions to your team members: what to continue, what to do more often, and how to improve their effectiveness. By actively seeking input, you demonstrate openness to feedback and a commitment to continuous improvement, fostering a culture of open communication and mutual support.
Build Trust With 3 Questions
Boost Psychological Safety with Direct Feedback
Summary
Inspired by research on effective management practices, this approach involves asking three key questions to your team members: what to continue, what to do more often, and how to improve their effectiveness. By actively seeking input, you demonstrate openness to feedback and a commitment to continuous improvement, fostering a culture of open communication and mutual support.
Build Trust With 3 Questions
Boost Psychological Safety with Direct Feedback
Citations
Podcast
This leadership tactic builds trust and psychological safety within your team by creating a direct channel for feedback.
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