In workplace teams, everyone nowadays seems to be talking about psychological safety and how an ideal culture protects people within it. But little thought is given to preparing for the daily failures that occur ad nauseam - the small ruptures born of our human fallibility, emotions, and egos. It’s these subtle moments, when someone’s tone sharpens or a correction feels like unfair criticism, that can quietly erode trust.
The Age of Micro-Conflict Intelligence Has Arrived
For years, organisations have been talking up psychological safety, inclusion, and communication culture. But talking isn’t the same as doing, and certainly not the same as addressing and resolving. We’ve mastered the art of reporting major incidents but still struggle with what happens before they escalate, the small moments of friction, tone, or misunderstanding that quietly corrode trust and alignment.
The David Howell Challenge
I figure we’re at the Wright Brothers moment, trying to get this thing called teamwork to truly fly. And I can’t help feeling a bit like one of those amateur bicycle mechanics (perhaps with mild delusions of grandeur).
From Micro-Conflicts to Systemic Harmony: The Emerging Partnership Between SpatzAI and Nøgd
In a long and insightful dialogue between Des Sherlock (the creator of SpatzAI) and his consultant, a powerful alignment emerged — a potential partnership that could redefine how organizations handle workplace conflict....
Stone-Age Behavior Meets Godlike Technology
The biologist Edward Wilson argued that humanity has Paleolithic emotions, Medieval institutions, and Godlike technology. I think that combination explains why we feel so unstable as a species. Our tools have outgrown both our psychology and our systems.
Disagreeing vs Objecting: How Objectionable Behavior Distorts Objectivity
Most people treat disagreeing and objecting as the same thing, but in my view, they are very different, and understanding the difference changes how we handle micro-conflicts.
The Missing “Roll” in Psychological Safety
Attention all systems thinkers. I’d love your take on all the talk about psychological safety, and just how scientific it really is, especially here on LinkedIn. Even from leading experts, I find plenty of claims but little verifiable science. Don’t get me wrong, achieving genuine psychological safety would be the holy grail of behavioral psychology. But when I search for “the system of achieving psychological safety,” I find a lot of rhetoric and almost no mechanics.
To Call Out or Burn Out? That is the Question
"To be, or not to be—that is the question:" Hamlet’s eternal struggle wasn’t just about existence. It was about endurance; whether to suffer in silence or speak truth in a world that may not be ready to hear it. Today, that same dilemma plays out in workplaces everywhere. When we see unfairness, disrespect, or overly dogmatic behavior, the question echoes in our minds: Do I call it out, or do I stay quiet and burn out slowly instead?
Complaining vs. Objecting: A Subtle but Powerful Difference
I agree with neuroscientists suggesting the negative effects of complaining: it drains energy, breeds resentment, and often changes nothing. But not many people know that there is a responsible way to complain. It’s called objecting.
Rethinking Leadership: From Setting the Cultural Tone to Sharing It
“Your behavior as a leader sets the tone for your team.” That’s the line we often hear. And yes, it can be true, if you believe it’s only the leader’s role to do so. But what if leadership wasn’t about setting the tone, but enabling it to be set collectively? Imagine instead of one person determining the culture of the team, you had a system that allowed anyone in the team to fairly course-correct the tone of another team member, even the leader.
Object123 