One thing that must remain sacred is the safety to share.
Dr. Brené Brown (a favorite of mine and someone I quote often) says, “Vulnerability is the birthplace of connection and the path to the feeling of worthiness.”
However, vulnerability only exists where people feel safe enough to be honest without being shamed, dismissed or judged.
I am a part of spaces where I believe or believed that was the case.
In reading about safe spaces this morning, I came across the term “psychological safety.”
Harvard professor Amy Edmondson, who created the term, defines it as “a shared belief that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking.”
In other words, people will only speak openly when they trust they won’t be punished socially for doing so.
We need to understand that silence doesn’t mean people are “fine.” A lot of the time, it means they don’t feel safe enough to speak.
When people fear judgment, they self-censor. They stop sharing concerns, emotions, questions and boundaries.
In spaces where trust, consent, emotions and growth are everything. That silence can be damaging.
Being a safe space doesn’t mean you have to agree with everyone, you can’t have boundaries or that you must fix or advise.
It does, however, mean we must practice listening without rushing to judgment, responding with curiosity instead of criticism and by letting people be where they are, not where WE think they should be.
There is no right way or wrong way to do empathy. It is listening, holding space and showing up.
If we want honesty, depth, growth and connection, we have to put the work in. This is achieved by ensuring that people feel they can speak up and share and still belong.
Openness creates trust. Trust is what makes it all work.
