Create an Environment of Psychological Safety

An important characteristic of successful teams is psychological safety — which develops when members and leaders trust one another to speak up, ask for help and voice concerns without fear of reprisal. In psychologically safe environments, mistakes both big and small are viewed as learning opportunities, not as failures. Everyone feels comfortable and supported to do their best.

And this isn’t just a feel-good approach. Research shows that psychologically safe environments lead to better performance while also encouraging employee curiosity, confidence and motivation. 

Of course, good communication between managers and employees is a two-way street. It involves ongoing effort, and there is often room for improvement on both sides. In fact, only half of managers report handling tough conversations well — and even more alarmingly, a majority say they’re uncomfortable directly communicating with employees in any way. These feelings are similar for employees: half report handling toxic situations by ignoring them. 

To create a safe and trusting workplace, address issues head-on — and with a healthy degree of empathy.

Avoiding potentially challenging conversations can make them even more loaded and intense. To create a safe and trusting workplace, address issues head-on — and with a healthy degree of empathy. Try to understand the other person’s perspective, concerns and limitations. 

Build Openness, Equanimity and Trust

How can you tell if your team needs to amplify its trust levels? One way is to give members a short, anonymous survey addressing the following questions:

• Do employees feel comfortable speaking up about what is and isn’t working, both for themselves and for the team?
• How do they handle disagreements with managers and teammates?
• Are they comfortable providing feedback and asking questions in meetings?
• Do they believe that mistakes, whether big or small, will be held against them?

If the answers reflect a need for improvement, you can use various strategies to build trust and openness. Managers with an open-door policy are seen as more available and responsive, and this can encourage your team to reach out. You can also facilitate discussions and prompt question-and-answer sessions in team meetings and group chats. 

In all communications, stress that workers are in a safe, judgment-free space. Be sure to remain objective. Focus on actions and policies, not individuals. And always stick to the facts rather than taking things personally or making them personal. 

The best managers don’t just support their teams; they also lead by example. Model positive behaviors and avoid negativity, such as gossiping or playing favorites. Help employees learn from their mistakes by sharing stories of your own professional challenges and how you overcame them. 

Help employees learn from their mistakes by sharing stories of your own professional challenges and how you overcame them.

And when an individual or team doesn’t hit their goals, use the opportunity to focus on how to prevent it in the future and correct what went wrong. Remain open, confident and clear about expectations and limitations going forward.

Communicate Frequently

Teams with effective communication systems are better equipped to tackle any topic, from everyday tasks to big challenges — and practice makes perfect. Build in time for regular conversations through team meetings, weekly one-on-ones and internal chats or email updates. By making open communication part of your team’s culture, you can prepare them to tackle difficult topics when they arise.  

Communication isn’t just about quantity, so take steps to make every conversation count. Plan ahead and set clear goals for conversations to ensure you cover pressing topics. Make a list of specific questions and issues to serve as your roadmap. And remember, when dialogue is ongoing, there’s no need to cram everything into a single conversation. Only cover what you have time to properly address.

Prioritize Humanity and Empathy

While you should generally try to avoid making things too personal in a difficult conversation, a different approach may be required when delivering news about layoffs or other hyper-sensitive topics that directly impact people’s lives outside work.

It can be helpful to stick to facts when discussing when, why and how layoffs are happening. However, it is more important to prioritize the human beings involved in the conversation. Consider the very real impact this will have on their lives, actively listen to their concerns and emotions, and be compassionate in your responses. 

Humans are also complex beings, and differences in human dynamics mean that every interaction is unique. Remember that what works well in one conversation may not work well for another. You may need to adjust your approach as each individual conversation progresses.

Your ability to be genuinely empathetic and tackle a difficult conversation regarding layoffs is possible only when additional steps are taken to make layoffs more human and less hurtful. The most thoughtful approaches to layoffs require proactive planning to ensure that as many resources and solutions as possible are provided to help mitigate the negative impact for workers.

Transform Trust and Dialogue into Success

Difficult conversations can seem intimidating, but they don’t always have to be. Create an environment of psychological safety; make frequent, open communication a priority; and remember that this is an ongoing process that takes empathy, effort and dedication. 

There’s no one-size-fits-all formula for handling difficult conversations in the workplace, and nuance is often required to achieve the most positive outcome. But by actively encouraging a culture of trust and not sweating the small stuff, managers can help teams tackle difficult conversations head-on — and set everyone up for success.