The Edge
Psychological Safety, Leadership and Visual Thinking
"Psychological Safety" by Esther Springett
This post has been percolating for a while now. If you’re following discussions on LinkedIn about business, teamwork, and HR, you’ve likely noticed the growing emphasis on psychological safety.
Psychological safety is the belief that an employee will not be penalised or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes. It’s an environment where individuals feel secure enough to be themselves, take risks, and contribute authentically without fear of negative consequences. This sense of safety fosters open communication, collaboration, and innovation, allowing teams to address challenges and improve performance more effectively.
I’ll be exploring how visual thinking and graphic facilitation can enhance company culture and psychological safety later on in this post. But first, let me share a potted history of my journey as an employee as this absolutely shaped how I work as a facilitator and workshop leader now…
My career began in 2010 teaching creative media to young people excluded from mainstream education. Whilst often feeling just one step ahead of my students on many occasions (I was a newly graduated 22 year-old!), I thrived on discovering their potential and crafting personalised plans to help them succeed. Subsequently, I managed a team of teachers as the curriculum lead in creative media, fashion, and art at an alternative training college.
Before launching my graphic facilitation business, I ran the gamut of work environments and various leadership roles. I led the artistic direction at a national community arts charity, commissioned artists, engaged with community groups and worked in galleries and museums. Later, as a qualified advocate for people with learning disabilities, I honed my skills in team facilitation, devising ways to ensure individuals had a voice and a say in the way they were treated.
The jobs where I stayed the longest were those where the team had a clear sense of purpose and there was a willingness from management to try new things. Even if the outcomes weren't as expected, the learning gained from the process was celebrated. From my time in bustling offices to challenging classrooms, one thing stands out: the impact of trust, empathy, and connection in leadership.
But what does the data say?
Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2024 Report reveals that only 23% of employees are engaged in their work. A staggering 62% are disengaged, and 52% are either watching for or actively seeking a new job pointing towards a trend of ‘quiet quitting’. Low engagement costs the global economy $8.9 trillion—9% of global GDP. “When organizations increase the number of engaged employees, they improve a host of organizational outcomes, including profit, retention rates and customer service.”
I’ve noticed a rise in clients contacting me from global leadership teams, HR, and psychologists seeking to transform the way they do things. These clients invite me into their inner workings, trusting me to facilitate deep listening, connection, and visual representation of their team's insights. They value my ability to gauge the emotional temperature and uncover hidden dynamics, fostering trust and meaningful engagement within their team.
There is a misconception that incorporating graphic facilitation into meetings and team days is a ‘nice to have’ rather than a ‘necessary to have’ component. If you’re following me, you’ll know I’m regularly touting about how 65% of the world’s population are visual thinkers, we think in pictures and an image can hit home in a way that words cannot.
"Try new things" by Esther Springett
So how can visual thinking and graphic facilitation support leaders and address the issues highlighted in the State of the Global Workplace Report? I’ve broken this down drawing on my experience as a graphic facilitator:
Manager Impact on Engagement: 70% of the variance in team engagement can be attributed to the manager. Effective managers help shift employees from indifferent to inspired, making graphic facilitation an effective tool for clear communication, goal setting, and feedback, which are crucial for engagement. Additionally, visualising a goal and writing it down increases the likelihood of achieving it by four times. Imagine the impact of this achievement on employee engagement!
Stress and Emotional Support: According to the report, “Managers have more negative daily experiences than non-managers and are more likely to be looking for a new job.” Managers often experience high levels of stress and negative emotions, despite their engagement, and they frequently provide emotional support to employees. Working with a graphic facilitator can reduce this burden, making it easier for both managers and employees to understand and engage in problem solving on an equal footing.
Global Disengagement Crisis: Only 30% of managers and 23% of employees globally are engaged, yet some organisations reach much higher engagement through intentional strategies. Graphic facilitation supports team alignment by visually capturing and organising input from all members. This approach encourages open participation and ensures that everyone’s perspectives are valued and represented. By making discussions more accessible and inclusive, graphic facilitation fosters a collaborative culture that enhances problem-solving and drives innovation.
Positive Business Outcomes: High engagement leads to reduced absenteeism (78%), lower turnover (up to 51%), and increased productivity (up to 18%). Graphic-facilitated workshops engage and align teams on their goals, translating strategies into clear, actionable plans.
Evolving Work Environment: The challenges of emerging from a pandemic, adapting to remote work, advances in AI, and reduced face-to-face interactions all contribute to significant stress for individuals. As hybrid work models make people management more complex, graphic facilitation can be an invaluable tool for connecting remote teams, clarifying complex changes, supporting a positive culture, and aligning all employees with organisational goals.
By integrating graphic facilitation, organisations can bridge communication gaps, empower team voice and contribution and address both managers' and employees' needs effectively, ultimately improving overall organisational performance.
Any of this chiming with you? Want to galvanise your team in the room and build human to human connections, get in touch to explore how graphic facilitation can support you.
Visit my website and find out more about workshops for leaders and teams: https://www.esthersketches.com
