The Manager's Guide to Psychological Safety - by David D Van Fleet (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The Manager's Guide to Psychological Safety presents a simple and easy-to-understand way to achieve psychological safety in organizations. Psychological safety is an organizational culture where no one will be punished for asking questions, speaking their minds, reporting mistakes and talking about them, and expressing concerns or proposing new ideas without being asked.

While relevant topics such as change, communication, motivation, and safety are covered, the concern is with the people in organizations-assuring that they are treated with dignity and respect for the benefit of all thus creating for them a psychologically safe place in which to work.

Approaches to achieving psychological safety are presented and present a unique framework (V-REEL(R)) for analyzing the organization and its internal environment that may hinder or help it become psychologically safe. Psychological safety, once attained, enhances the organization's reputation and its bottom line.

Review Quotes

I absolutely loved the read and enjoyed the book's flow and relevance to my work in addressing the unspoken impact of psychological trauma. It nailed it for me from the standpoint of process in pursuing desired continuous results/objectives. The Safety Section & the long-term negative impact touched me in terms of end results and the inability to bring closures because of situations. The case studies offered were evidence of achievable success when leaders stuck to the plan. Shooting from the hip always seems comfortable but baseless when formed from a gut reaction. I fell in love with the approach as a relative application to my workplace security management consultant utilizing a robust, agile & proactive approach and unique process. Finally, it was surprisingly reader-friendly, engaging the reader as I read it. It was enlightening, informative & educationally full of actionable considerations in bringing all levels of readership to a tiered level of understanding and application and consideration. It is a leadership-focused guide that takes the reader up the next rung on the ladder of relativity, application, and beyond. This book will be the sister reference guide right along with my Combating Workplace Violence philosophy, consulting & training. Dr. David Van Fleet hit a home run out of my ballpark. -Felix P. Nater, President and Owner of Nater Associates, Ltd

The Manager's Guide to Psychological Safety is invaluable work. Each chapter delves so deeply into essential themes of psychological safety, communication, motivation, and leadership-all crucial elements in fostering a positive, effective workplace. Dr. Van Fleet's ability to break down these topics, from the origins of psychological safety to the nuances of organizational relationships and change management, truly stands out. Case studies are interwoven and reflective questions are present throughout each chapter. These additions bring the theory to life, making it more engaging and applicable for readers to connect to their own experiences and challenges. The V-REEL framework and the practical guidance in Guides to Action are particularly insightful, offering both strategic and actionable advice. The psychological safety models and the structured Think About This Chapter prompts encourage a reflective and practical approach to these vital topics. Truly a valuable resource to the field. Dr. Van Fleet's work informs and inspires meaningful change, offering readers a comprehensive toolkit to improve workplace dynamics and foster supportive environments. I look forward to applying many of the insights and models presented and will keep this book close as a trusted resource. -Salem M. Altuhaih, Certified Management Consultant and Professor of Management at Kuwait University

Utilizing his extensive grasp of managerial science, Dr. Van Fleet has created a go-to-resource for managers challenged by ever shifting business paradigms. A rare combination of research and practice, this is a book that should be on every business leader's reading list. -Ernie Stark, Former Editor, Journal of Behavioral and Applied Management