The magic behind producing the most creative and productive work is a psychologically safe and purpose-driven culture. I recently heard Amy Edmondson, a Harvard Business School professor, on the podcast Armchair Expert and loved the episode so much. She is an organizational behavioral scientist I have looked up to for some time, and she coined the term “team psychological safety” in the 1990’s.
Psychological safety at work is about allowing people to speak up without consequence. While there is a time and a place for feedback, creating an environment where your team can share what’s on their mind without repercussion is essential. It’s also a valuable tool for you. It’s like a focus group in your department. To enable this mindset, you must create an atmosphere where every team member feels empowered to embrace their individuality, take risks, and challenge the status quo. This can encourage open dialogue about your collective purpose and ensure everyone understands how their contributions fit the bigger picture.
So how can you build a sense of group purpose and align your team’s collective personal goals with the organizational goals for a higher conjoined purpose? Think of it like a Venn diagram; it is helpful to align the individual’s purpose with what the company needs to see where the overlap is. Let’s discuss in a little more detail the key ingredients to building a healthy, creative, and productive work culture that brings about that cultural magic:
CLEAR PURPOSE
A leader must connect the company’s what and why with the individuals. The clear purpose needs to be a series of messages that nest into one another, each building off the other. First, you need a short tagline that defines why you do what you do to drive excitement as much as alignment.
It would be best to have a manageable, focused short-term goal for teams to find purpose in and execute daily. Your employees should understand the company’s purpose today, tomorrow, and the future without feeling like they are memorizing ninth-grade poetry.
OPEN COMMUNICATION
To foster open communication, you need people talking to one another. A low-risk way is with monthly ice-breaker-style activities. Through these exercises, people get a chance to share their voices and feel valued and respected. In my experience, when people feel bonded to one another, they are more likely to contribute their unique perspectives, leading to innovation and collaboration.
EMPOWERMENT
You can empower your team members by giving them the appropriate level of autonomy based on their experience level. This trust results in ownership of their work, and with more independence, team members tend to self-propell with less outside motivation from others.
One tool that you may find helpful for building empowerment in the team is a decision matrix called an IRDA (Input, Review, Decision, Approver); my company uses this and has seen great success from it. This tool allows you to organize the various decision-making processes throughout the company and build clear accountability for individuals. It also creates a roadmap for advancing decision-making responsibilities for individuals.
CONTINUOUS LEARNING
A commitment to learning and growth keeps the team adaptable and resilient in facing challenges. You can set up annual education goals that combine what the company needs and what the individual wants. Thinking of goals this way can put the team in the driver’s seat of their career path with a shared company vision.
Setting goals twice a year can also make them easier for employees to manage. Stay close to your team with 1:1 sessions at least a couple of times a month where you discuss their goals. Having routine check-ins allows for micro changes and pivots to all activities, including the continuous learning goals. You might find that because your managers check in often on their direct reports’ goals, they achieve them in high numbers.
CELEBRATION OF ACHIEVEMENTS
Recognizing and celebrating small and big wins can reinforce a positive work culture and motivate your team to strive for excellence. Recognition not just from the top down but also from peers can further fuel comradery.
To do this, you must create a culture of celebration in the daily struggle. A good way of doing this is creating a celebration channel in your company communication channels, such as Slack or Microsoft Teams.
FLEXIBILITY
An environment accommodating diverse work styles and personal needs allows people to stay focused on work when it’s time to work while knowing they have the flexibility to handle their personal lives when needed. I have always said that I want my team to be healthy and happy, and the rest will take care of itself. It would be best to create an environment where employees know work and home are flexible so they can live their lives and still get the work done.
RESOURCE ACCESSIBILITY
Providing the necessary tools and resources is fundamental to nurturing a thriving, innovative work culture. When employees have access to the assets and space they need, they have more opportunities to excel in their roles which can empower them to turn their creative ideas into tangible outcomes. As a manager, you need to be their advocate for the right tools to help them get their work done as efficiently as possible.
WRAPPING UP
Ultimately, a psychologically safe and purpose-driven work culture can foster a sense of belonging, inspire innovation, and fuel a collective commitment to making a meaningful impact. The magic happens when work expands beyond being a means of income and becomes a mission.
In this transformation, individuals can find profound fulfillment and organizations can achieve greatness. When work is a mission, it’s no longer just about the paycheck; it’s about leaving a legacy, making a difference, and leaving the world better than how you found it.
Alexander Kwapis is the Vice President of New Product Development at FusionPKG and Co-Founder of The Wild Dirt