Simon Sinek. Why Good Leaders Make You Feel Safe.
Simon Sinek talks about psychological safety and how leaders provide it. The talk links to the Army Leadership Framework’s idea of ‘what leaders are’: leaders have psychological influence because they prove they are in it for their tribe (and its reputation), not in it for themselves. This makes them trusted, it makes them safe – even in dangerous places. Ultimately, it makes them influential.
Focused questions:
- How do you create a circle of safety where people feel safe to belong? Do you only do it when people are trying to kill you, or must you do it all the time?
- “The leader sets the tone” by putting their safety of their people above their own. How do you do this rather than create a team where a follower might say “If I don’t follow the rules I might get in trouble!” just like the airline employee?
- “leadership is a choice, it is not a rank“. If subordinates follow because the leader has sacrificed for the team, how much do you need to sacrifice?
- If the leader is ‘doing it for the team’ he should punish those who can’t do a good job. The tribe care about its reputation and their own safety if there is a weak member. Discuss: Should we punish people for failing to perform, or for failing to live up to our tribe’s values? Should we keep our followers on their toes with the threat of punishment, to keep them on top of their game?
Exactly I have served with with people who we follow in to Hell and I served with “leaders” who could not lead a group over sexed teenaged young infantry men who has just three months in jungle to a house of ill fame if he was carrying a ruck sack full of one dollar bills to pay for all the goods and services we wanted or needed because he could not be trusted!!!