Happier, Healthier Workplaces

The Psychological Safety Playbook: Lead More Powerfully by Being More Human by Karolin Helbig & Minette Norman
Page Two, February 22, 2023

Amy Edmondson’s research has demonstrated why a feeling of psychological safety is essential to high-performing teams. In The Psychological Safety Playbook, Karolin Helbig and Minette Norman outline concrete steps readers can take to promote psychological safety in the workplace. Using the analogy of a coach’s playbook, the authors focus on five broad competencies or “plays:” communication, listening, managing reactions, embracing risk and failure, and inclusive practices. What makes the book particularly useful is the way it breaks each play into bite-sized “moves”—distinct skills or actions that can be practiced until they become habitual. For example, one listening-related move is to “commit to curiosity.” The book’s digestible structure invites readers to dip in and out for quick pointers or reminders. Each move features a cartoon illustration, a concise explanation of the “why,” and bullet points detailing the “how.” Overall, the practical tools in this book will contribute to a happier, healthier workplace, and they are equally pertinent to our work with students. Excerpts from the book could even be incorporated into SEL or advisory programs, helping to foster leadership skills and psychological safety schoolwide.