Creating Safe Spaces: Enhancing Psychological Safety with Coaching

By Aybike Tasyurdu.

Reading time: four minutes. 

This week, the Diverse Executive Coach Directory held a webinar on the various ways law firms can enhance psychological safety through executive coaching. 

The panel of speakers included:

• Jenny Garrett OBE – Diverse Career Coach;
• Mark Anderson – Career Coach;
• Sobia Iqbal – Career and Mentorship Coach;
• Marie Loney – Executive Wellbeing Coach, Founder of Glow Consultancy London;
• Janice Taylor – Career and Leadership Coach; and
• Obehi Alofoje – Psychologist, Executive coach, Co-Founder of Aurora Inc. 

What is psychological safety?

Psychological safety describes an environment where people feel able to express themselves without fear that others will think less of them. Enhancing psychological safety in the workplace is a valuable asset for businesses who want to retain staff and improve their employee and client satisfaction. When employees feel like they’re working in psychologically safe environments, their performance can be up to 5x higher, which in turn leads to greater innovation. Improving psychological safety has the potential to result in a 27% reduction in turnover and a 12% increase in productivity. 

How to foster psychologically safe workspaces

1. Lead by example 

When line managers exhibit healthy habits to their teams, it has a knock-on effect on their employees, who also mirror those habits. Jenny Garrett OBE stressed the importance of leading by example, as a method of creating psychologically safe work environments.  

• Open communication

Leaders should actively provide opportunities for employees to voice their concerns, whether by inviting feedback during meetings or setting aside dedicated times for informal discussions. Mark Anderson felt that humility, admitting when you don’t have all the answers, and being open to learning allows others to demonstrate vulnerability too.

• Self-awareness and emotional intelligence 

For Sobia Igbal, it’s not just about what leaders say, but about what they do. By engaging in challenging conversations, leaders build trust over time. Whilst this may involve some discomfort, Iqbal stressed the benefits of the long-term impacts. 

• Active listening

When employees feel heard, they’re more likely to take creative risks without fear of judgment. Active listening goes beyond just hearing words. Marie Loney argued that paying attention to body language is crucial to building trust and strengthening rapport.

Read this article to find out about resources for employees, and how to foster a supportive work environment: https://thestudentlawyer.com/2024/04/21/prioritising-wellness-in-law/

Leadership and emotional safety – what’s the balance?

Obehi Alofoje expressed that many leaders feel unequipped to handle conflict, which makes creating an open environment daunting. However, she views tension as a powerful catalyst for growth. She urged leaders to confront their discomfort, embrace vulnerability, and seek regular feedback to normalise constructive dialogue.

Navigating this tension requires leaders to develop a deep understanding of themselves. Iqbal emphasised that leaders need to self-reflect on their leadership style, assess its effectiveness, and experiment with approaches that feel authentic. Rather than waiting for the perfect solution, she advised leaders to embrace trial and error, recognising that growth comes from learning through experience.

Anderson stressed that once leaders grasp the importance of psychological safety within the workplace, they’re more likely to foster it. He encouraged leaders to reflect on their own experiences of being led – examining what worked well and what didn’t. This enables them to identify actionable improvements which can enhance workplace relations.

Janice Taylor highlighted the importance of viewing the process of creating a psychologically safe space as a long-term commitment. She explained that this journey requires patience, time, and a willingness to embrace vulnerability as part of leadership. By focusing on the broader capacity to create lasting safety, leaders can better navigate the challenges of fostering openness while maintaining control.

Read this article on how to create lasting change in the legal profession: https://thestudentlawyer.com/2024/09/19/national-inclusion-week-2024-how-to-create-lasting-change-in-the-legal-profession/

Successful coaching interventions

• Practice vulnerability

To combat emotional barriers and invulnerability, Alofoje suggested introducing exercises where partners verbalise moments of personal struggle. This encourages openness and creates a culture where employees also feel empowered to voice their struggles.

• Identify team challenges

Distributing a pre-session survey to identify challenges faced by the team is another way of maneuvering around difficult conversations. Iqbal argued that the results of the survey provides the foundation for open conversations about obstacles. This engages the team in shaping the process but also creates a sense of shared responsibility for the outcomes.

1. Build strong foundations 

Garrett encouraged leaders to spend a significant amount of time building trust during initial sessions, ensuring that team members feel safe to share feedback and engage in experimental discussions. This groundwork lays the foundation for a more trusting and productive future team dynamic.

How can employees foster psychological safety?

Start by reflecting on your own comfort levels with sharing ideas and being vulnerable. Alofoje advised taking small steps, such as committing to share one idea in a meeting and openly stating, “I’m testing how vulnerable I can be and would love to hear your thoughts.” This may inspire others and create a ripple effect within the team.

Beginning with one or two trusted colleagues to test the waters before bringing a more open and vulnerable approach into wider meetings can help, suggested Anderson. This gradual process can build confidence and ensures that employees feel prepared to contribute more openly in larger group settings.

Iqbal recommended building diverse networks outside the immediate team, especially if your current environment feels particularly challenging. Testing vulnerability in these networks can provide a safe space to develop confidence and new ways of engaging that can later be brought back into the team.

Garrett pointed to tools such as Amy Edmondson’s psychological safety questionnaire, which can be used to assess team dynamics. She suggested presenting the concept of psychological safety as a shared challenge, framing it as a potential barrier to growth rather than a personal critique. 

Read this article to find out tips on how to manage stress: https://thestudentlawyer.com/2024/04/23/self-care-strategies-for-law-students/

Final thoughts

Leaders must take every conversation as a learning opportunity, reflect on their own openness and approachability, and commit to creating a culture that prioritises psychological safety as a foundation for growth and success. Creating safe environments is vital for fostering innovation, improving productivity, and retaining talent in today’s competitive market. When employees feel secure enough to voice concerns without fear of judgment, it can lead to significant improvements in team dynamics and overall performance.

For law firms this is a pressing issue. The high-pressure nature of the profession can lead to employees shouldering heavy loads of stress and anxiety – impacting both individual well-being and organisational effectiveness. Addressing these challenges will allow firms to support their employees’ mental health, enhance collaboration and client satisfaction.