How to Create a Safe Space for AI Innovation Discussions

Most teams aren’t unsafe— they’re afraid of what honesty might cost.👇 A confident team isn’t always a safe team. Real safety feels like trust without fear Psychological safety isn’t about being nice. It’s about building an environment where truth can exist — without penalty. Where people speak up because they believe they’ll be heard, Not just to be loud. Here’s how to create a space where honesty doesn’t feel risky: 10 Ways to Foster Psychological Safety in Your Team 1️⃣ Acknowledge mistakes openly ↳ Normalize imperfection so everyone feels safe owning up. 2️⃣ Ask for feedback on your own performance ↳ Leaders go first. 3️⃣ Celebrate questions, not just answers ↳ Curiosity signals trust. 4️⃣ Pause for the quiet voices ↳ “We haven’t heard from X yet. What do you think?” 5️⃣ Replace blame with ‘Let’s find the cause’ ↳ Shift from finger-pointing to problem-solving. 6️⃣ Speak last in discussions ↳ Let others lead; you’ll hear their raw perspectives. 7️⃣ Reinforce confidentiality ↳ Discuss ideas without fear they’ll be shared publicly. 8️⃣ Encourage respectful dissent ↳ Conflicting views spark creativity. 9️⃣ Admit you don’t know ↳ Authenticity paves the way for others to do the same. 🔟 Offer thanks for honest feedback ↳ Show appreciation for candor, even if it stings. 1️⃣1️⃣ Set clear expectations for respectful communication ↳ Clarity creates comfort and consistency. 1️⃣2️⃣ Create space for personal check-ins, not just work updates ↳ Human connection builds trust faster than status updates. 1️⃣3️⃣ Invite rotating team members to lead meetings ↳ Empowering others signals trust and grows confidence. 1️⃣4️⃣ Support team members who take thoughtful risks ↳ Reward courage even when outcomes aren’t perfect. 1️⃣5️⃣ Recognize effort and growth, not just outcomes ↳ Celebrate the process, not just the win. Psychological safety doesn’t grow from good intentions, It grows from repeated proof that honesty matters more than perfection. ❓ Which one will you try first? Let me know in the comments. ♻️ Repost to help your network create safer, more trusting workplaces. 👋 I write posts like this every day at 9:30am EST. Follow me (Dr. Chris Mullen) so you don't miss the next one.

🚫 STOP saying: “AI won’t replace you. A person using AI will.” It sounds more like a threat than a strategy. It shuts down the conversation instead of opening it. Because when employees express fear about AI, they don’t need clichés. They need a plan. Show you’re investing in them, not replacing them. Upskilling isn’t just about training. It’s about trust. So don’t just quote the internet. Show them where they fit in and how to grow. Here are 7 ways leaders can actually do that: 1. Start with listening ↳ Let them voice fears and skepticism ↳ Don’t respond with a TED Talk 2. Audit current roles ↳ Identify tasks that could be enhanced (not replaced) ↳ Talk openly about what AI can actually do 3. Invest in AI literacy ↳ Offer bite-sized, low-pressure workshops ↳ Demystify AI without overwhelming your team 4. Create low-stakes practice zones ↳ Let employees test tools with no deadlines ↳ Make it okay to play, learn, and even mess up 5. Celebrate progress, not perfection ↳ Highlight effort, experimentation, and curiosity ↳ Focus less on mastery, more on momentum 6. Pair learning with real work ↳ Show how AI can solve actual small problems ↳ Build skills while building solutions 7. Repeat the message ↳ “You’re part of the future.” ↳ “And we’re building it together.” No trust, no transformation. AI adoption isn’t just strategy, it’s a trust fall. 💬 What’s one step you’ll try with your team? ♻️ Repost if you’re investing in people, not just tech. 👣 Follow Janet Perez for more like this.

42% of Your Employees Are Using AI at Work. 1 in 3 Are Hiding It From You. Why? Fear of being judged. Fear of being replaced. Fear of getting more work from their boss! I work as an AI strategist with 4 different F100 firms over the past year. These numbers from the latest Axios article match what I'm seeing. The TL;DR: AI adoption doubled from 26% to 42% in just one year. But here's the problem: when employees hide their AI use, companies lose control over data security and miss learning opportunities. Here's what actually works to flip this dynamic from my experience: (1) Build Internal Communities of Practice for GenAI Don't just train people for compliance sake. Create spaces where employees naturally share their discoveries. Set up Slack channels, lunch-and-learns, or weekly "AI wins and fails" sessions. Make it SAFE to share what didn't work, even a failed prompt teaches everyone something new. One client created "AI office hours" where anyone could drop in with questions for me. The conversations are engaging and it creates a natural safe safe to share in a small group. (2) Ditch Generic GenAI or MS Copilot Training for Hands-On, Company-Specific Sessions Stop it with the "What is GenAI?" and "MS Copilot 101" presentations already. Instead: "How to use AI to write better customer emails in our CRM system." Instead: "Prompting techniques for our quarterly budget reviews." Instead: "AI tools that actually help with our compliance workflows." Make it immediately applicable to their Monday morning tasks. When training connects to real work, adoption becomes natural, not forced. (3) Leaders MUST Model AI Learning (Not Just AI Mandates) The most successful implementations happen when executives share their own AI journey. Not: "We bought Copilot, everyone should use it." But: "I've been using AI to prep for board meetings and here's what I learned..." Address job security fears DIRECTLY. Show how AI makes people more VALUABLE, not REPLACABLE. The secret AI users in your organization are your early adopters. So give them a runway! What have YOU found helpful in your organization? Data With Serena™️ https://lnkd.in/eswUimcb