🕶️ 5 Safety Signals Every Leader Must Send!

Welcome to the Leader’s Lens: The Perspective Shift issue!

This issue offers a fresh perspective and actionable tips to enhance your leadership this week.

Send me an email and let me know how you plan on implementing this perspective shift in your leadership!

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The Importance of Safety Signals

When was the last time you walked into a location and felt unsafe, Leader?

The city of Gotham was safe because of Batman. And when Commissioner Gordon turned on the bright spotlight for the Bat Signal to show in the sky, everyone who was doing their crime had to be on alert cause The Dark Knight could be lurking in the shadows to foil their plan.

But even better, the citizens of Gotham and victims of crime would feel safe knowing the Caped Crusader was protecting them.

Ok... I'll spare you with the various names of The World's Greatest Detective (last one, promise). This is the point: There are signals we can put out there as leaders to help our team's feel safe in our presence and workspaces.

I have been very fortunate to have worked in locations where my one-up leader has been intentional with developing psychological and physical safety to help me thrive.

It's a major reason why in my leadership, I do my best to model that same perspective to the teams I oversee.

But I have heard horror stories of people in work who do not get any recognition, minimal support, lack of connectivity, and all around toxic place to work.

The luxury of "leaving" is not always an answer, because we got bills to pay y'all! So they become stuck in their situation, just trying to get by, but working in fear that the day will come when they will get fired.

That's scary. And it's an all to common feeling.

• According to the American Immigration Council in their research, “Sixty-four percent of Americans reported non-belonging in the workplace, 67% in the nation, and 74% in their local community.”

• According to Deloitte, via HBR, “… 40% of people say they feel isolated at work and the result has been lower organizational commitment and engagement.”

As people leaders creating inclusive, belonging workplaces, we have to be mindful of the signals we are communicating through our actions.

These signals are symbols of safety for the people we work with.

There are two books I want to put on your radar as you consider your organizational culture (Note: I do receive affiliate commission if you chose to purchase from these links!)

1. ​Wellbeing at Work by Jim Clifton and Jim Harter captures their Gallup research on the employee experience into one book, highlighting what employees are seeking in order to thrive in the workplace and what leaders can do about it. In my middle management, it has provided me a general sense of what every human needs to feel like they belong as well as a guide post to make sure those that I lead are getting that from my leadership. Check out the book here.​

2. ​The Culture Playbook by Daniel Coyle is a practical and tactical book for leaders to foster an environment of belonging, vulnerability and success in the workplace. Seriously, there are specific activities you can do to implement TODAY and see results towards culture transformation. You can also check out that book here.​

5 Common Safety Signals to display in your leadership

So, Leader, What would those values be? How would you display those values?

Here are some Safety Signals and specific initiatives to showcase those values through your leadership:

1. "We See You"

   • Employee Recognition: Number of times individuals or teams are recognized publicly for their contributions.

   • Visibility in Meetings: Measure participation in meetings, ensuring that everyone has a chance to speak and be heard.

   • Performance Reviews: Include assessments of how well employees’ unique skills and contributions are recognized and utilized.

2. "Your Voice Matters"

   • Feedback Participation: Percentage of employees providing feedback through surveys, suggestion boxes, or other channels.

   • Implementation of Suggestions: Track the number of employee suggestions implemented and their impact on operations.

   • Inclusion in Decision-Making: Monitor the number of instances where employees are involved in decision-making processes.

3. "You Belong"

   • Employee Engagement Surveys: Measure the sense of belonging within the organization through specific survey questions.

   • Retention Rates: Analyze turnover rates, particularly among diverse groups, to assess feelings of belonging.

   • Diversity Metrics: Track diversity in hiring, promotions, and leadership positions to ensure a diverse and inclusive environment.

4. "We Share a Future"

   • Team Collaboration Metrics: Measure cross-departmental collaboration through project involvement or shared goals.

   • Knowledge Sharing: Track participation in knowledge-sharing platforms or sessions.

   • Goal Alignment: Assess how well individual goals align with organizational objectives.

5. "We Care About Your Well-being"

   • Health and Wellness Program Participation: Monitor participation rates in wellness activities, workshops, or initiatives.

   • Work-Life Balance: Track indicators such as overtime hours, vacation usage, and instances of burnout.

   • Employee Assistance Program Utilization: Measure the uptake of services such as counseling or mental health resources.

These initiatives should be regularly reviewed and adjusted based on feedback to ensure they accurately reflect the your leadership and organizational commitment to these values. Additionally, it’s essential to communicate the significance of these metrics to team to foster transparency and trust.

Your Action Items

I want you to consider what the signals of safety are you are showcasing to your team.

And if you are not, what could you do to throw up that signal through your actions and communication for a belonging workplace culture?

Comment or email me one take away you got from this Perspective Shift!

You got this,

Ray

Whenever you are ready, here are ways you can work with me:

• 🎤Speaking - As a Speaker and Facilitator, I will engage your team on how belonging and inclusivity can increase your team dynamics! ​Book Ray Now

• 🤝Coaching - As a Coach, I will help you enhance the power of inclusivity and empathy to be an effective leader through an equity lens! Book a Call Now

• 📘Consulting - As a Consultant, I will help strengthen your organizational culture to increase the employee experience and retention! Book a Consultation Now

P.S. - Thank you to those who have filled out the survey letting me know more about your leadership journey! I am excited to dive into the results over the next couple of weeks to provide you with resources and content that will support your leadership! If you haven’t filled it out yet, do so by clicking the link here!