Tips for Creating a Safe and Inviting Workplace Environment
As an actor, I understand the necessity of a safe space in which to create and explore. This can be either well-established or not by my director. As leaders, we can take a cue from theatre to create and promote such a climate among our colleagues, team members and direct reports to build stronger relationships, promote creativity and increase productivity.
Actor/facilitator Victor Barbella shares his top tips for creating a safer, more inviting work environment.
Business leaders often speak about the enhanced expressiveness, connectedness, and leadership style gained during Ariel training. The creation of a clear and present safe space allows this to happen. By safe I mean an environment that encourages new thinking, taking risks and being creative. Concurrently, they profess the challenges of retaining a similar performance back at the office, where environments are more competitive, stressful and less tolerant of risk.
As an actor, I understand the necessity of a safe space in which to create and explore. This can be either well-established or not by my director. As leaders, we can take a cue from theatre to create and promote such a climate among our colleagues, team members and direct reports to build stronger relationships, promote creativity and increase productivity.
Top Tips for Creating a Safe and Inviting Workplace Environment:
1. Appreciate, First and Foremost – At the first rehearsal of a play, the director invites a multitude of creative input and opinions. Generate an atmosphere amongst your team where input is acknowledged and appreciated by expanding opportunities for communication at meetings and presentations. Warmly invite feedback, ideas or updates, scaffolding on what’s been shared. If participants seem hesitant, allow for pairs or small group brainstorming around a specific proposal.
2. Offer Feedback as an Upgrade – Structure feedback in a way that leaves individuals feeling positive, appreciated, and capable. Employ the “sandwich” method for providing evaluation. Start with a positive acknowledgment of the individual’s strengths and abilities. Articulate an improvement as an upgrade or adjustment to an idea, behavior or process that is already in place. Finish with another positive recognition of their skills, practices or their openness to your feedback. Voila – the sandwich!
3. Model Actions and Performance – A good director will never give an actor a specific line reading to imitate or reproduce but will model what he wants with a broad spectrum giving the actor the power of choice. Be a leader that provides sandwiched feedback, notices and endorses efforts, provides specific appreciation of an individual’s unique skills. Model behavior that builds relationships by behaving in open, expressive, engaged ways. Be the exemplar of the clear and specific values, practices and behaviors you desire in your environment.
4. Laugh & Smile, Smile, Smile! – Even rehearsing a drama should be fun! Make it light. Tell a warm, lighthearted story or recount an amusing moment in your day to break the ice or immediately engage your audience. Keep communication upbeat and jovial or use a humorous anecdote to alleviate tension. Smile frequently and genuinely, not only to affect others, but to alter your own emotional state. An actor knows that sometimes changing physical expressions will affect his emotional life. Want to feel better at work? Smile!
