In promoting the results of Google's research internally, the research team has been running workshops with teams. In the workshops, anonymized scenarios have been used to illustrate behaviors that can support and harm psychological safety. Here's an example scenario:

Psychological Safety Scenario | Ideas & Innovation

Uli is a long-time manager known for his technical expertise. For the past two years, he's worked as manager of team XYZ, which is responsible for running a large-scale project. He upholds very high standards, but in the past few months, Uli has become increasingly intolerant of mistakes, ideas he considers to be "underpar," and challenges to his way of thinking.

Recently, Uli publicly "trounced" an idea offered by an experienced team member and spoke very negatively about that person to the wider team behind their back. Everyone else thought the idea was strong, well-researched, and worth exploring. Ideas have since dried up.

Uli's ideas drove the recent project proposal, but it was ultimately rejected by the executives because it lacked creativity and innovation.

Submit a 1,3 page paper that has an introduction and conclusion and answers the following questions:

• What behaviors do you see that reflect psychological safety? Include references to Google's dimensions of and language of psychological safety.
• What behaviors may signal that psychological safety is lacking in the scenario? Include references to Google's dimensions of and language of psychological safety.
• Why is psychological safety so important? What difference does it make to a team? What have you seen on your teams?

Below is some of Google's work to get you started.

Demonstrate engagement Be present and focus on the conversation (e.g., close your laptop during meetings) Ask questions with the intention of learning from your teammates Offer input, be interactive, and show you're listening Respond verbally to show engagement ("That makes sense. Tell us more.") Be aware of your body language; make sure to lean towards or face the person speaking Make eye contact to show connection and active listening

Show understanding Recap what's been said to confirm mutual understanding or alignment (e.g., "What I heard you say is..."); then acknowledge areas of agreement and disagreement, and be open to questions within the group Validate comments verbally ("I understand." "I see what you're saying.") Avoid placing blame ("Why did you do this?") and focus on solutions ("How can we work toward making sure this goes more smoothly next time?", "What can we do together to make a game plan for next time?" Think about your facial expressionsare they unintentionally negative (a scowl or grimace)? Nod your head to demonstrate understanding during conversations or meetings

Be inclusive in interpersonal settings Share information about your personal work style and preferences; encourage teammates to do the same Be available and approachable to teammates (e.g., make time for ad hoc 1:1 conversations, feedback sessions, career coaching) Clearly communicate the purpose of ad hoc meetings scheduled outside normal 1:1s or team meetings Express gratitude for contributions from the team Step in if team members talk negatively about another team member Have open body posture (e.g., face all team members; don't turn your back to part of the group) Build rapport (e.g., talk with your teammates about their lives outside of work)

Be inclusive in decision-making Solicit input, opinions, and feedback from your teammates Don't interrupt or allow interruptions (e.g., step in when someone is interrupted and ensure his or her idea is heard) Explain the reasoning behind your decisions (live or via email; walk team through how you arrived at a decision) Acknowledge input from others (e.g., highlight when team members were contributors to a success or decision)

Show confidence and conviction without appearing inflexible Manage team discussions (e.g., don't allow side conversations in team meetings; make sure conflict isn't personal) Use a voice that is clear and audible in a team setting Support and represent the team (e.g., share team's work with senior leadership, give credit to teammates) Invite the team to challenge your perspective and push back Model vulnerability; share your personal perspective on work and failures with your teammates Encourage teammates to take risks and demonstrate risk-taking in your own work

Sources

Edmondson and Lei (2014), "Psychological Safety: The History, Renaissance, and Future of an Interpersonal Construct," Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior. Edmondson (1999) Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams Administrative Science Quarterly June 1999. Goman, Carol Kinsey, Ph.D., 'The Silent Language of Leaders: How Body Language Can Help--or Hurt--How You Lead.' Jossey-Bass Publishing, April 2011. This content is from rework.withgoogle.com (the "Website")

Please write the essay as given the instuctions in prompt. The essay should be 1500, words.