Providing Psychological Safety in a BANI World

Jamais Cascio, the author who coined “BANI world” wrote “[a] sizable share of those of us who work in the field of imagining the future often struggle with […] a difficulty in seeing our world in anything other than an apocalyptic frame. It’s not because we want it this way, but because other framings seem inadequate or false. The danger of this urge is that it can easily become a trigger for surrender, a slipstream into despair. Through all this, we believe that we can do something to improve the situation, at least our own, if not the whole wide world’s situation.”

According to Cascio, “For each problematic aspect of our BANI world, there may not be so much a solution, but a way to react, that might help us and others better manage the situation and our emotions and stress that ensues from it. When something is brittle, it requires capacity and resilience. When we feel anxious, we need empathy and mindfulness. Non-linear circumstances need context and adaptivity. And what are incomprehensible calls for transparency and intuition? Everyone can do their share and extend empathy and mindfulness. As for context and transparency, we believe it is everyone’s responsibility to verify the integrity of the information they share (may it be in person or on social media). This contributes to limiting the misinformation impacting our confusion and anxiety.”

A year ago, the concept of BANI was just that. A concept. Today, it’s a reality that we all feel in our bodies. After the news sink in you might wake up with a taste of iron in your mouth. The earth might feel a bit shaky when you go out after you hear about another invasion or terrorist attack. A few days later, you might be lying in your bed crying, feeling like you can’t face another day in this world. You went through all the phases of grief described by Elisabeth Kuebler-Ross in her famous book On Death and Dying (1969).

If you have never seen a difference between something you understand with your mind but not your body, this is your next leadership lesson. For example, I could explain “intercultural leadership” or “transactional analysis” in my late 20s but only experienced related body sensations in my late 30s. Fast forward to my 50s, I often feel my body sensations, especially if you are stressed. (We know this is a phenomenon of mirror neurons.) I knew for a long time that there are relationship-oriented people rather than task-oriented, but I only experienced this when I went to India in 2006. 

In the past, as a manager, I went from shocked to angry to crisis mode, and I would function well in emergencies. My German default took over. I gave (friendly) orders and advice and pushed an agenda for providing psychological safety in this situation. Only later might you be ready to process it.

You might feel pain in your back and my shoulders. This is a trigger, a body sensation I know too well. It’s a mix of feeling overwhelmed and anxious, left alone with the burden of responsibility and having to stand up and do it anyway. Even if your voice is shaking, even if you are criticized, even if you are told to keep in your lane, and despite the inner critic that tells you: “This will not end well.” and the inner worry monster telling you, “We’re all gonna die anyway, so why bother”. 

Here are five practices for your psychological safety and for practicing failure culture.

They also help your people stand up for their beliefs, have a voice, and be heard. 

1 – The Daily Fail

My great friend Inge Nitsche, CEO and Chair of Expatise Academy, uses a “memotrainer”, and the way it works is that you are continuously asked questions until you get them right. The retention rate of this kind of training is exponentially higher than that of other training methods, as people are told that their mistakes are good. 

The more you get wrong, the faster you fail and the higher your improvement score and learning curve. Yes, this is frustrating, but it works. And I would like to practice that now. Because: As I recently told one of you, “We’re not in high school anymore.”

I admit that I often failed at giving psychological safety in my manager’s past, but I got better at listening to my team and their concerns. It made me consider what we could do to role model the behaviour behind it and how I could approach this topic with a growth mindset. I am working on an experiment I would like to share with you: Every day, I allow myself to admit one failure by saying or writing it down. Then, I correct the mistake or try to understand where I was wrong or on the wrong path. This is hard because I’m used to being in an “Expert” role, which is very unusual behavior in a FEAR CULTURE. Still, I will try it anyway because if I allow myself to make mistakes and to correct errors, then others will see that it is okay to show that you are not perfect and that learning only happens in an environment where it is OK to fail even if it is just in small doses.

2 – The Broken Record 

Another experiment is the “Broken Record”. If I identify an issue that needs change, I will address the issue again and again, especially when I feel that I have not been heard in the past. This way, through repetition, I will either learn that I was wrong about my assumptions OR, if I was right, that maybe other people learn differently and that I need to give them the time to catch up. It’s also helpful to address the issues you wish to flag at various angles and find friends you trust who will help you spread the message.

3 – The Daily Agile

You probably know that this is one of my principles and, for a long time, one of my priorities because I am also a fan of the Agile Manifesto. So, I usually prioritize my clients over anyone else, but I also prioritize people over processes and tasks. This principle helps to focus on what is important at the moment. If you are unsure whether to draft a contract, update your HR system, or listen to an anxious colleague or team member and apply the Agile Manifesto, you never doubt yourself. Follow your inner guidance here.

4 – The ZEN Workspace

Without order outside, there is no order within. Working from home a lot, we now keep our home even cleaner than before and maintain a few ZEN practices to ensure that order is maintained on a daily basis. You can apply ZEN practices to your workspace, your desktop, your data, your filing system, and your KANBAN. If you get overwhelmed by chaos, you can always work on your system and find a system or backup plan that supports you. It could even be a paper binder or a laminated checklist. Make it a habit to clean up every day. Keep order outside and clear your clutter regularly. I find this usually gives me peace and calm. Even folding the laundry or cleaning my shoes can help there.

5 – The Rollercoaster

When I get up in the morning thinking “This will be a quiet day and I can finally get a bit of admin done” there’s a high probability that the day will end up with laser swords, magic wands, and fighting the dark force. We can handle many things when we are centered and calm, but it’s better to be prepared at any time when the next crisis is just around the corner. Charge your smartphone. Pack a backpack. Wear comfortable clothes. Get fit. Be ready to run.

“Do or do not. There is no try.” 

YODA

This is now a chapter in “The Global Rockstar Album”.

The Global Rockstar Album