Summary
At the heart of any organization, people are the driving force. And the past few years have not been easy on any of us. The pandemic, the great resignation, tech layoffs, bank collapses, among other significant changes, have challenged workers in ways like never before. Fortunately, there is a cure to the human energy crisis, and that cure is: a culture of psychological safety. Join Alla Weinberg, a leading culture designer for organizations undergoing change, for this masterclass and you’ll leave with practical ways to increase psychological safety on your team or organization. In this masterclass, you will: Understand the neurological root cause of the human energy crisis Learn why psychological safety is the cure to burnout and exhaustion Learn how to effectively communicate change
Key Insights
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Stress from continuous change lowers operating IQ by half, impairing collaboration and problem-solving.
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Psychological safety is neurobiological, not just psychological; it reflects the state of our autonomic nervous system.
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The autonomic nervous system evolved over 500 million years and drives unconscious bodily and emotional responses.
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ANS has three states: safe (calm and connected), mobilized (fight/flight), and immobilized (freeze), influencing workplace behaviors.
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Lack of psychological safety increases fear, causing people to work longer hours without asking for support, worsening burnout.
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True psychological safety requires system-wide culture changes, not just individual accommodations or perks.
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Providing context, choice, and connection when communicating change reduces nervous system threat responses.
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Connection involves seeing people fully, inviting honest conversation including disagreements, and making everyone feel valued.
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Organizations must pair cultural interventions with formal policies, especially to protect historically oppressed groups.
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Building psychological safety starts with team-level efforts, then expands gradually to larger organizational systems.
Notable Quotes
"Change is stressful and scary because it triggers our biological need for certainty."
"Mental health challenges are now the norm among employees at all levels in organizations."
"Stress drops our operating IQ by half, making it hard to be collaborative or creative under pressure."
"Psychological safety is the felt permission for candor—to be honest without fear of negative consequences."
"Our nervous system doesn't know whether the threat is a company reorg or a hungry lion; it just knows danger."
"The autonomic nervous system is constantly scanning for cues of safety or danger in our relationships and environment."
"When we’re stuck in flight or freeze modes, mental and physical health problems start to arise."
"Connection is not being nice or best friends; it's about feeling seen, heard, and valued even while disagreeing."
"You have to regulate yourself first before communicating change to help others feel safe."
"If people can speak honestly at work without fear, a hundred percent better work would be produced."
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