Workforce Wellbeing: A Symphony of Responsibility and Psychological Safety

After the challenges of recent weeks, I am aiming to be more playful and light-hearted in this newsletter.

This may feel jarring with where you are at currently, and I want to honour the moral injury and strain you may be experiencing.

I hope you will allow me to turn our attention to our interests and passions. I don’t know about yours, but I must declare that I LOVE musical theatre.

Enjoying the creativity, fun, talent, and expertise of musical theatre is my happy place and as much as I appreciate having an upcoming holiday planned, having my next theatre adventure booked nourishes my soul.

Music and theatre provide us with countless helpful metaphors for the workplace, perhaps even more so than sport.

The way that every single person in a theatre production plays a critical role for a successful show reminds me of the essential roles we all must play in the wellbeing of the workforce.

Leaders set the tone

Leaders, this is your cue. You’re the maestros of the organisational orchestra. What and how you play trickles down to every member of your ensemble. But let’s get this straight: You can’t conduct a masterpiece if your musicians are out of tune. And by & ‘out of tune’ I mean lacking in well-being, lacking in the bandwidth to do their job well. It’s not just a leadership solo, it’s a complex interplay—a sort of jazz improvisation, with contributions from individuals and the collective ensemble. So how do you make the magic happen?

Make Psychological Safety Your Anthem

Imagine going to work where you’re walking on eggshells, petrified to make a mistake. Your nervous system is in high alert, your brainstem and amygdala are calling the shots, and your executive brain is off-line. This isn’t just poor well-being; it’s neuro-scientifically unsound.

Leaders, you’re on the hook for setting the stage for psychological safety, a stage where mistakes are not just tolerated but embraced as learning curves, a stage where everyone—yes, everyone—feels seen, heard, and valued.

Self-Leadership Responsibility

Now, let’s not sideline the individual musicians here. To hit the high notes, you’ve got to take charge of your own well-being. That’s right, personal responsibility is a thing. The neuro-scientific angle isn’t just for leaders. You too can help your nervous system feel relaxed and let your executive brain reign. Take self-care beyond the cliché. Sleep isn’t a luxury; it’s a requirement. Your neurons literally depend on it.

Excessive self-criticism is your enemy, it puts you as an instrument out of tune. Your neurons don’t work to your advantage and you’re more likely to function from your brainstem than your executive brain.

And psychological safety? Don’t just wait for it to trickle down from the top; be the agent of your own safety. Use your voice, seek assistance, and set good boundaries.

The Ensemble: Cohesion and Neuro-scientific Harmony

Now to the tribe. Your team dynamics are more than just collaborations on projects; they’re a haven for collective psychological safety. Are you noticing your teammate struggling to hit the right notes? It’s not just their responsibility; it’s a group gig. Speak up, offer support, and help create a symphony that even the amygdala would want to dance to. Let’s help each other’s nervous systems find their chill so we can all function optimally from our executive brains.

The Finale

Well-being isn’t a solo act. It’s a symphony, complex and interdependent, with leadership setting the beat, individuals crafting the melody, and the collective ensemble adding the harmony. It’s a continuous pursuit that, if done right, turns your workplace orchestra into a beacon of excellence, caring, and well, extraordinary humanity.

This isn’t just about doing the right thing; it’s about understanding the neuroscience of why the right thing works. A relaxed nervous system doesn’t just make us feel good; it’s the secret sauce for tapping into higher-order thinking and emotional intelligence. So, conduct wisely, play your parts impeccably, and let’s create a masterpiece of well-being that stands the test of time.

Further insight

Click the buttons below to learn more about my upcoming programs and my book, Leading Above The Line.