Speak-Up Culture | Stephen "Shed" Shedletzky | 534

Before anyone shares their ideas, feedback, or concerns they tend to ask themselves two questions:  Am I safe to speak?  And is it worth it? If the answer to either of these questions is no, odds are they will stay silent. So how can leaders, teams, and organizations facilitate an environment where speaking up is celebrated and not ignored or punished? Our guest today is Stephen "Shed" Shedletzky, a speaker, leadership coach and advisor who is using his new book Speak-Up Culture: When Leaders Truly Listen, People Step Up to help create a culture where people feel safe and supported to take part in and start conversations. Shed shares how his work with Simon Sinek laid the groundwork for developing his own content that focused on two areas that stood out to him over his years of work:  Psychological safety and living your message. We examine what Psychological safety and Speak-Up Culture mean to Shed and how he is bringing these elements to individual's, teams, and organizations.  In addition we discuss how psychological safety still comes with accountability, which is best achieved by mutually established agreements that bring what is best for both employee and employer to the front. Three Key Takeaways: ·         Business books are written for two reasons.  It's something you are so good at you want to share that knowledge.  Or you are so bad at it that you need to write a book to fix it. ·         Whatever you message is you have to live it inside and outside of your organization.  If you talk the talk, but fail to walk the walk people will see right through you. ·         When people don't feel like speaking up will have an effect they become apathetic.  When they don't feel safe they stay silent. Creating an environment where employees can speak and be heard can create a happier and higher functioning atmosphere.