Reading Log -8: How to Create Psychological Safety

I am the type of person who immediately buys how-to books.
I am particularly weak for books written logically by researchers at institutions like universities, based on years of research results.

This book is also one of my favorites.

"How to Create Psychological Safety"

The author of this book, Ryosuke Ishii, is a researcher and practitioner specializing in organizational development and human resource training. He conducted research at Keio University Graduate School and is known as the person who adapted the concept of psychological safety proposed by Google in the U.S. to Japanese organizational culture and theorized it. Currently, as the representative of ZENTech Inc., he provides organizational transformation support to companies and government agencies.

In this book, "How to Create Psychological Safety," the importance of a workplace environment where people can speak and act with peace of mind is discussed as the foundation common to teams that consistently produce results. It is not just about getting along well, but the idea that a state where members' conflicting opinions and challenges are tolerated is what enhances a team's productivity and learning ability.

The core is the Japanese version of the "four factors of team psychological safety." Ease of speaking refers to a state where opinions can be expressed regardless of position or age. Helping each other is a relationship where support can be obtained even when weaknesses are exposed. Challenge means an atmosphere where one can step into new attempts without fear of failure, and welcoming novelty is an attitude of positively accepting diverse opinions and unprecedented ideas. In this book, how these interact to support team trust and results is shown with concrete examples.

We should not read this book as an ideal theory of psychological safety. By reading it as a practical book on team management and organizational reform, with a perspective on how to design daily meetings, 1-on-1s, and evaluation systems, it is a book that provides concrete action guidelines for changing the workplace.