Tiffany Flaming 7/21/25 Tiffany Flaming 7/21/25

Beyond Buzzwords: 3 Practical Ways to Build Real Psychological Safety on Your Team

The most dangerous phrase in business isn't what you think. It's the seemingly innocent advice you've probably given or received: "Don't bring me problems, bring me solutions."

The most dangerous phrase in business isn't what you think. It's the seemingly innocent advice you've probably given or received: "Don't bring me problems, bring me solutions."

While it sounds proactive and empowering, this single phrase quietly strangles the life out of psychological safety. It tells your team that identifying a risk isn't valuable unless you've already solved it. It punishes the messenger who spots a fire but hasn't yet found the extinguisher. The result? People stop raising their hands. Small problems fester into full-blown crises, and you, the leader, are the last to know.

Psychological safety isn't about being "nice" or avoiding tough conversations. It's the shared belief that it's safe to take interpersonal risks. It’s the foundation that allows teams to innovate faster, learn from mistakes, and engage in the healthy conflict necessary for growth.

Building it requires more than just buzzwords. It requires intentional action. Here are three practical ways to start building real psychological safety today.

1. Reframe the Problem: Reward the Messenger

Instead of asking for solutions, start by rewarding the act of identification. When a team member flags a potential issue, your first response sets the tone for everyone else.

Old Way: "Okay, so what's your plan to fix it?"
New Way: "Thank you for bringing this to my attention. This is exactly the kind of thing we need to be aware of. Let's walk through it together."

This simple shift encourages vigilance and makes it safe to be the one to point out that the emperor has no clothes. It transforms you from a judge into a collaborative problem-solver.

2. Model Vulnerability (Without Oversharing)

Your team won't take risks if you don't. Modeling vulnerability doesn't mean sharing deeply personal stories; it means being open about your own fallibility as a leader.

Start a meeting by saying, "I've been thinking about the launch last month, and I think I could have done a better job communicating the timeline. I'd like to get your thoughts on how we can improve that process."
Admit when you don't have the answer. "That's a great question. I don't have the data on that right now, but I will find out and get back to you."

When you model that it's okay not to be perfect, you give your team permission to be human, too.

3. Create Multiple Pathways for Contribution

Not everyone thrives in a fast-paced, verbal brainstorm. The "loudest voice wins" approach silences your introverts, deep thinkers, and remote employees. To build true safety, you must create different ways for people to contribute their ideas.

Before the Meeting: Send out the agenda with key questions and a link to a shared document. Ask team members to add their initial thoughts before the meeting begins.
During the Meeting: Use round-robin techniques where you go around the "room" (virtual or physical) and explicitly ask each person for their thoughts on a specific topic.
After the Meeting: Follow up with a summary and create an opportunity for people to add further reflections or ideas via email or a shared channel after they've had time to process.

Building a psychologically safe culture is the single most impactful investment you can make in your team's performance. It's a journey that moves from theory to transformation.

If you're ready to take that journey, learn more about how our S.A.F.E.T.Y. Accelerator™ program can give you the framework and tools to build a truly high-performing team.

Tiffany Flaming 7/21/25 Tiffany Flaming 7/21/25

The Hybrid Manager's Guide to Overcoming Proximity Bias

Your hybrid model feels fair. But look closer. Who gets the most interesting, career-advancing projects? Who gets the most "in-the-moment" feedback and coaching? Who do you think of first when a last-minute opportunity comes up?

If the answer is consistently "the people in the office," you have a proximity bias problem.

Proximity bias is our brain's natural, unconscious tendency to give preferential treatment to those we are physically close to. It's not malicious, but it's incredibly damaging. It creates an "A-team" (the in-office crew) and a "B-team" (everyone else), leading to disengagement, lower productivity, and the loss of your best remote talent.

The good news is you can fight it. Being a "Proximity-Proof Leader™" is a skill you can build. Here's how to start.

1. Audit Your Interactions

For one week, keep a simple "interaction log." At the end of each day, jot down which team members you had unscheduled conversations with. Who did you grab for a quick question? Who did you chat with while getting coffee? The data will likely reveal a strong bias toward your in-office employees. Once you see the pattern, you can be intentional about correcting it by scheduling regular, informal check-ins with your remote team members.

2. Formalize the Informal

The "hallway conversation" where a key decision is made is one of the biggest drivers of inequity. As a leader, you must commit to a simple rule: If a decision is made in an informal chat, it must be immediately communicated to the entire team in a shared, written channel. This ensures everyone has access to the same information at the same time, regardless of their location.

3. Lead with Objective Data (Not Just "Face Time")

Bias thrives in a vacuum of objective information. The most powerful way to combat it is to ground your talent decisions in data. This is where tools like Gallup's CliftonStrengths become invaluable. When you have a clear picture of each team member's innate talents, you can make decisions based on who is truly best for a project, not just who is most visible.

Instead of: "I'll give this project to Sarah; she's right here and seems eager."
Try: "This project requires someone with strong 'Executing' talents. Based on our team's Strengths grid, David is the perfect fit, even though he's remote. I'll set up a call to discuss it with him."

Overcoming proximity bias requires deliberate effort, but it's the defining challenge for leaders in the modern workplace. The managers who master this skill will be the ones who build the most engaged, innovative, and high-performing teams of the future.

Ready to find out where your team stands? Take our free, 2-minute Proximity Bias Audit to get your score and a personalized action plan.

Tiffany Flaming 7/8/25 Tiffany Flaming 7/8/25

5 Ways to Manage Up and Get Your Ideas Heard

You’re a great manager. You lead your team with purpose, you hit your targets, and you’re committed to building a culture where people can thrive. But when it comes to influencing your own boss, it can feel like your best ideas hit a brick wall. You know you have valuable insights that could drive the business forward, but getting them heard—and acted upon—is a challenge.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. The good news is that you don’t have to shout louder to be heard. You just have to get more strategic.

This is the art of “managing up.” It’s not about office politics or being a suck-up. It’s about intentionally building a productive, trusting, and mutually beneficial relationship with your manager. When you learn to manage up effectively, you don’t just get your ideas heard; you gain the resources, autonomy, and support you need to make a bigger impact and make your team more successful.

Here are five practical, actionable ways to start managing up and ensure your voice is heard.

1. Speak Their Language by Aligning with Their Goals

This is the single most important rule of managing up: understand what your manager cares about most. Your ideas have a much higher chance of landing if they are framed as a solution to one of their problems or a direct path to achieving their goals. It’s your job to connect the dots for them.