Lead More Powerfully
by Being More Human
Leadershift Screenshot1

The LeaderShift podcast, Karolin and Minette in conversation with Shani Magosky


As many of you know, psychological safety is a topic I constantly pound the table on. Join us to learn practical implementation tips from experts Minette Norman and Karolin Helbig. In their new book, The Psychological Safety Playbook: Lead More Powerfully by Being More Human, the duo became the first authors to provide actionable skills with real-life examples for implementing psychological safety in the workplace. Their work builds on that of renowned Harvard researcher, Amy Edmondson, who coined the term. The book is short – written for busy leaders – and provides 25 proven strategies to help leaders increase psychological safety on their teams by being human. Karolin has a PhD in human genetics and is a former McKinsey consultant. Minette has several decades of experience leading global teams in the software industry and most recently served as Vice President of Engineering at Autodesk.

They generously share the five major “plays” and offer an immediately actionable tip for each one:

  1. Communicate Courageously – ask the question, “what am I missing?”
  2. Master the Art of Listening – actively listen to understand, not to respond
  3. Manage Your Reactions – when you’re triggered, take a breath before responding instead of reacting on amygdala hijack
  4. Embrace Risk and Failure – be vulnerable enough to share your mistakes and failures and process the learnings
  5. Design Inclusive Rituals – have a “no interruptions” rule in team meetings and ensure the conversations aren’t dominated by the few voices who always speak up

Tune in for this and more! And navigate to the free resources on their website, including a snapshot of all 25 plays. They don’t have to be done in any particular order. Start with one small action and observe as the magic happens!