66: Workplace Psychological Safety with Susan Ní Chríodáin

Susan Ní Chríodáin founded Beyond the Numbers to work with teams and individuals in organisations who recognise that putting people first generates the greatest return. Her experience and business acumen stems from a wide variety of commercial and non-profit roles. Putting people first and looking beyond the numbers is a significant contributor to happiness in the workplace. In this episode, Aoife and Susan explore how Psychological Safety at work has a profound impact on the work environment - it enhances trust, creation, innovation, and performance. Key points covered in the show include: - An insight into Susan’s career background. - Seeing beyond the numbers and putting people first. - How Toxicity and negativity can spread throughout the workplace. - How to identify & deal with being in a psychologically unsafe environment. - The benefits to communicating effectively on a human level. - Building courage to deal with difficult conversations. - Finding Calm with inner turmoil and being comfortable with silence. - How we can learn and progress by allowing vulnerability & being open to feedback. - Establishing boundaries and making them visible & tangible. - Actions that leaders can take to implement a psychologically safe workspace. For over 20 years, Susan led and managed a wide variety of teams in Europe, Africa, Asia, in-person and remotely. An FD at 33 she learnt that to have an impact required you to be brave, bold and to build strong working relationships. Technical excellence wasn’t enough; putting people first was key. Susan has a practical, no-nonsense approach to understanding and helping others resolve issues no matter how intractable they might seem. Susan hosts a podcast Life Beyond the Numbers for people who are curious about having a more fulfilling work-life and are united in a belief of putting people first to let their uniqueness shine through in their work-life. Connect with Susan Ní Chríodáin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/susannichriodain http://www.beyond-thenumbers.com/ http://lifebeyondthenumbers.podbean.com/ Connect with Happier at Work host Aoife O’Brien: http://www.happieratwork.ie http://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien http://www.twitter.com/HappierAtWorkHQ http://www.instagram.com/happieratwork.ie http://www.facebook.com/groups/happieratworkpodcast Resources: Toastmasters International, a non-profit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs. http://www.toastmasters.org/ Book Recommendation: Nine Lies About Work: A Freethinking Leader’s Guide to the Real World by Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall. http://www.amazon.com/Nine-Lies-about-Work-Freethinking/dp/1633696308/ 7 Questions to boost psychological safety at work – Dr Amy Edmondson http://www.inspirehub.com/blog/ask-these-7-questions-to-boost-psychological-safety-at-work