In chapter 5 of Jeff Sutherland's book on Scrum, he briefly mentions behavior for Scrum in the form of "don't be an ass hole and get rid of ass holes quick." Yet he doesn't mention detail about how one should address this, as though it is a simple process. If only life was so simple... Continue Reading →
SpatzAI Elevator Pitch
You know that feeling one gets when you want to say something about someone's behavior, but you're too afraid you'll say the wrong thing? Well, we've designed the go-to method for speaking up in organizations when you feel someone is annoying or out of line. In fact, we're creating a whole platform and toolkit called... Continue Reading →
When the Shit Hits the Fan
Dear Amy and Kim, it's all very well to tell your dear followers, "4 ways to help you to speak up in the workplace", only for these readers to try and find out that speaking up doesn't always go as planned and the shit hits the fan. Then they remembered why they avoided disagreeing with... Continue Reading →
One-size-fits-all Solution for Infringements in Teams
In soccer, there are 17 rules that players should adhere to if they wish to compete. In the workplace, there are a similar number of rules for behavior that a team member should adhere to for the organization to run smoothly. In soccer, on average, two teams will have between 20 to 30 infringements during... Continue Reading →
Pushing the Envelope
"If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking" George S Paton We all know how important innovation and collaboration are in organizations, especially tech companies. It is usually highly prized and encouraged. But to achieve these breakthroughs, we need to push the envelope within ourselves and in teams. At the same time, everyone seems... Continue Reading →
Conformity or Conflict
...any level of or kind derision leads to fear which leads to conformity (or conflict.
Take Chances with Sufficient Protection
“Psychological safety is an atmosphere where one can take chances.....without fear & with sufficient protection.” [EDGAR SCHEIN & WARREN BENNIS 1965 – PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY – WIKIPEDIA] Here is an example of a micro-conflict self-managing strategy that could radically change the team collaboration landscape. Provide team members with sufficient protection to encourage them to speak up in real-time... Continue Reading →
Can’t See the Psychological Safety for the Micro-conflict
What if achieving psychological safety was as simple as nipping our micro-conflict behavior at the bud, before they became full blown and expensive conflicts to resolve? I think we can using SpatzAI our AI toolkit to resolve and monitor micro-conflicts in teams. According to some studies the average number of hours lost to productivity due... Continue Reading →
Most Organizations Are Not Democratic
Kremlin Vs Westminster System The latest buzzword in organizations is psychological safety, where team members feel free to speak up without any repercussions, but is it any wonder that they don't when the whole organization looks more like the Kremlin than the Westminster System and is structured to shut them up! The name "Kremlin" means... Continue Reading →
What Conflict Resolution & Psychological Safety Have in Common
Conflict resolution and psychological safety are both important concepts in the field of organizational psychology and are related in several ways. Conflict resolution refers to the process of resolving disputes or differences that arise between individuals or groups in an organization. This can include addressing conflicts related to work tasks, differences in values or beliefs,... Continue Reading →
Psychological Safety Protections Vs Psychological Safety Platitudes
I believe it is important not to be confused when experts are describing the problem and making it sound like it is the solution.Eg: “Creating a culture of trust and respect can foster psychological safety." [This platitude was generated by ChatGPT] Sounds great on paper but it’s just smoke and mirrors to me, with zero... Continue Reading →
Fear of Conflict Behavior & Providing Sufficient Protections
We all seem to have a primal fear of conflict and the behavior that leads to it. Applying this definition to workplace teams, one way to tackle this fear of conflict behavior and allow us to feel sufficiently protected (safe) when we disagree would be to use the following
Fighting Hidden Conflict Resolution
Malicious gossip is the scourge of most organizations. It is usually how most individuals in organizations deal with their minor conflicts. Also referred to as backbiting, badmouthing, venting or backstabbing, it can only exist if we do it in secret. It's our hidden conflict resolution and so ubiquitous that we don't even seem to notice... Continue Reading →
Conflict Resolution or Secret Men’s Business
Generally speaking, conflict resolution is carried out by management and or HR behind closed doors. It is not a democratic process. Let's call it secret men's business. Is it any wonder that there are countless unresolved complaints from disgruntled employees in organizations? The democratic process was first developed over 2500 years ago in Ancient Athens,... Continue Reading →
Resolving Conflict Behavior in Teams
"Conflict is an escalation of a disagreement, which is its common prerequisite, and is characterized by the existence of conflict behavior, in which the beings (team members) are actively trying to damage one another."[Prof Michael Nicholson - Wikipedia] Therefore, if you felt I was 'actively trying to damage you', there is a good chance of... Continue Reading →
Venting or Gossiping
When people gossip, they will never want the person or organization they are talking about want to hear what they have to say.
Further Steps in Transparency
Another point for exposing our unresolved conflict is that it acts as a great incentive to ensure we all use our new and radical toolkit available to resolve our spats before they become our exposed conflicts.
Account Able – The Ability to be Accountable for One’s Actions
Being accountable for our actions sounds simple, but try extracting an acceptable apology from someone, and you will soon find out that this ability is as rare as hen's teeth. My brother Steve and I tried this experiment some 20 years ago. We agreed that if either of us got angry, we would give the... Continue Reading →
Protection Rackets
The term "psychological safety" is believed to have been first employed and explored by organisational researchers Edgar Schein and Warren Bennis in 1965,[4] defining it as "an atmosphere where one can take chances (which experimentalism implies) without fear and with sufficient protection." (Schein and Bennis, 1965, p. 44)"
Tackling Our Fear & Avoidance of Conflict, Head-on!
When one thinks about it most of our behavior is based around fear of conflict and how we can avoid it.So we have created and listened to stories that tell us: Don't be a snitchGo with the flowYou are too sensitiveDon't make wavesLet sleeping dogs lieDon't rock the boat Don't upset the applecartSticks and stones....Suck... Continue Reading →
Unfair Pushback
So many people seem to be talking about psychological safety in organizational psychology circles lately. The idea has been around for the last 50 years. It can be defined as a shared belief that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking. That is, to construct an environment where it is safe to speak up without fear... Continue Reading →
Why Startups Fail
This is the simple reason why startups fail and how we propose to fix it: https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/key/cjrlFySKoiduzo?hostedIn=slideshare&page=upload SpatzAI Startup Moderator Toolkit to Resolve Founder Conflict
SpatzAI Recourse Toolkit for WHEN We Suffer for Being Our Authentic Selves
I don't agree with this definition of psychological safety ie. "Psychological safety is achieved when an employee feels that they can be their authentic self, especially in a team setting, and not suffer any negative consequences as a result." I don't believe that psychological safety is a "feeling" but true psychological safety is only achieved... Continue Reading →
65% of Startup Teams Fail Due to Founder Conflict
65% of Startup Teams Fail Due to Founder ConflictProf. Noam Wasserman THE FOUNDER’S DILEMMAS Why is it that no one seems to want to do anything about reducing this figure. Yes, you are reading correctly 65% and yet I am not aware of any startup accelerators doing anything differently to rectify this figure. I am... Continue Reading →
Exposing Founder Conflict Using SpatzAI
What we thought was a minor spat at the time turned out to be an ongoing major conflict that is still unresolved to this day. I guess you could say it was a conflict in disguise.
Conflicts in Disguise
We should be able to test and resolve all of our spats to ensure that they are not the more severe dispute or conflict. Let's try to resolve all our minor team spats mainly because some of these spats could be conflicts in disguise and ultimately could be responsible for causing the the next startup team to fail.
What is the Best Way to Tackle Objectionable Behavior in Teams?
So you’ve formed your startup team, great! And together, you’ve formed a neat code of conduct because you want everyone to feel psychologically safe in the team, right? You’ve read all the books on managing a team well and do all the workshops; Amy Edmondson, Tim Clark, Kim Scott, Adam Grant, Simon Senek, and the... Continue Reading →
Psychological Safety Explained Simply
Feeling psychologically unsafe? What does it even mean, really? Okay, lets break it down.Amy Edmondson coded description: “A shared belief that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking.” Amy EdmondsonA shared belief...that the team is safe...for interpersonal risk-taking. === Desmond SherlockWe agree on...a way to keep the team safe...sharing conflicting ideas. Here is my decoded... Continue Reading →
Code of Conduct Vs Code for Misconduct
Slack XXX Group's Code of Conduct We hold all stories or personal material in confidentiality We are careful about interrupting each other.When we disagree, we focus on the idea, not the person.When we have a discussion, we make spaces to pause for reflection.We don’t need to be articulate to express ourselves.We acknowledge that there is... Continue Reading →
Code of Misconduct
We are all conductors in a team, I believe. Like electricity conductors, only in our case we are conductors of information and may be very similar to nodes in a network. And the network suffers when we have a mis-conduction between two team members caused by a misconduct.
AI Information Conductor
Firstly I think an essential part of a code of conduct is what happens when there is a violation of the code and company ethics. A "misconduct," if you will. I refer you to the article, defining a code of conduct. Maybe the code of conduct should be called a "code of misconduct," ha!
Risk-taking Vs Naysaying
Amy Edmondson defines psychological safety as "a shared belief that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking." In a nutshell, for a team to speak up, take risks, and share radical ideas, they will need to feel protected from so-called naysaying behavior. I don't think the problem is going to be fixed by creating “a shared belief... Continue Reading →
How to Train a Robot (or person) to Behave
How would a machine learn to behave civilly in a team environment? No real knowledge in this area, but this is how I would wing it. How about we create an algorithm. It would consist of a team member (anyone in the team can be the trainer) using Step 1. Verbal Caution of the robot,... Continue Reading →
Using AI Tools That Moderate Team Feedback
Why are team members in organizations hesitant to take a risk and share their ultra-radical ideas? Because of the feedback response, they are likely to receive if they step too far out of the norm.
Manual Machine Moderator
Machine moderators may be used in the pre-moderation stage to flag content for review by humans. This would increase moderation accuracy and improve the pre-moderation stage.
Creating a Safety Moderator
Firstly everyone in the team would need to agree to use the safety moderator. It allows anyone to speak up in real-time and object when we feel offended or uncomfortable with how we are treated during a heated discussion.
Is Psychological Safety a Fad?
Q. When will we know we have enough of it? A. When we don't need to talk about it as much.
Complaint Vs Objection
Could the secret to being objective in what what we say and do be embedded in the word itself when we simply object? I think so.
Making Mistakes and Misbehaviors
I find this both ironic and hypocritical that the psychological safety movement and organizational psychologists can criticize leaders or managers for being know-it-alls, psychopaths or narcissists. And at the same time, talk about creating a safe environment for teams
Mistake or Misbehavior
Mistake or Misbehavior I exchanged comments on LinkedIn yesterday and had an interesting discussion with someone on the differences between the word mistake versus misbehavior. I tend to believe that people can confuse the two. A mistake is usually seen as unintentional. Knocking over a cup of coffee by mistake is seen as a misdirection... Continue Reading →
Blind Leading the Blind
My tip, for what it's worth, as a person with cognitive biases, is to look out for and listen to how people frame their thoughts to you. Premising our statements with "I think.." or "to me..." is a handy reminder.
Quickly Destroying Psychological Safety
Can a Lone Manager Destroy Real Psychological Safety in a Team? I am no expert, so I don't know. Maybe someone can enlighten me? I don't believe any workplace that claims to be a "safe space" can have its safety destroyed by one individual. Imagine an existing manager, boss, CEO, investor, or leader in the... Continue Reading →
Does Dogma Erodes Trust?
Listen to any two people in a heated dispute and one thing I believe you are bound to notice, and that is their surety that they are right and the other is wrong. No doubts! You can quickly tell by the absolute and dogmatic language they are using. No prefacing their statements with "I think.."... Continue Reading →
Objectivity Illusion
Illusion of Objectivity Have a conversation with some "experts" on their chosen subject, and you may well detect their Objectivity Illusion. Now, I better be careful, or you could be accusing me of this flaw. Well, it is true. I'm pretty sure that I have this illusion also, ha! How we conquer this illusion is... Continue Reading →
Restoring Eroded Trust
Restoring Eroded Trust Search on Google for building trust and psychological safety, and you will see oodles of articles on the subject but not so many on restoring lost trust. The issue for me is not so much on building trust in a team but how we restore it when it is lost or eroded. Generally,... Continue Reading →
Freestyle Conversation
Freestyle Conversation Empowering Teams to Speak Up Imagine if we were free to interrupt our conversations or discussions with anyone in our team or with management. Anytime or anywhere, we could pause our interactions when we felt something amiss with what was said or how it was said. In the same way that a Toyota... Continue Reading →
Our Andon System for Discussions
Adapted from: Wikipedia Andon System of manufacturing. From Wikipedia: "An Andon system is one of the principal elements of the Jidoka quality control method pioneered by Toyota as part of the Toyota Production System and therefore now part of the lean production approach." END.Also know as Stop-the-Line manufacturing. What is an Andon Discussion - Object123Andon gives every worker the ability and empowerment to... Continue Reading →
The Challenge for a Psychologically Safe Workplace
First Human Attempts at Controlled Flight I believe it is time we replicated the quest for controlled flight by getting governments and investors to offer cash prizes to the first organization that achieves an effective and measurable psychologically safe environment in the workplace. Excerpts from Matt Williams Blog "The idea of offering incentive prizes to inspire... Continue Reading →
Solving the Problem of Correcting Mistakes
Unfortunately, when we focus on correcting mistakes, we seem to focus on the person as much as on the mistake. That's how we were brought up. We still use language like "his mistake," "your fault," "he's a trouble maker," and "she's to blame." We even have institutions to help correct people's BIG mistake-making, called "correctional... Continue Reading →
How to Save Billions of Dollars Globally on HR and Management.
How do we save billions of dollars globally on HR and management fees? Easy! Simply create a one-on-one, self-moderating procedure that teams can use to to help resolve their behavior disputes with fellow team members or their manager. We call ours Object123 . Then create a social network of independent peers that are willing to review and adjudicate any disputes that we have trouble resolving using this tool. We call our the Disputz Network . And that's it.
Micro-conflicts Nipped-in-the-bud
Micro-conflict refers to small, everyday conflicts that occur in the workplace. These conflicts can be caused during disagreements when minor infractions, misunderstandings, personality differences, or conflicting goals and priorities occur. Micro-conflicts are often less severe than larger conflicts, but they can still have a significant impact on the work environment if not addressed effectively. Micro-conflicts... Continue Reading →
Object123 