A recent post from Jill Skromanis Consulting caught our eye discussing psychological safety. Jill has kindly provided permission to repost her article here. Tell us what you think.
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There's a pattern I see often in my coaching and consulting work.
It's not the big leadership moments that shape a team's or individual's experience.
It's the daily behaviours that leaders and team members let go, the ones that feel too minor, too awkward or too uncomfortable to address.
A dismissive tone. A habit of interrupting. The loudest voice in the room. A meeting where clarity never arrives. Confusion about roles, expectations or priorities that people hesitate to seek clarity on. Fear of "getting it wrong". A pattern of avoiding feedback because "now isn't the right time".
It's rarely one big thing that erodes psychological safety. More often, it's the accumulation of small moments that go unaddressed.
As I deepen my coaching practice and progress toward ICF accreditation, I've been reflecting on some research (Villeseche & Meliou, 2026) that resonates with me. It reinforces something I've observed throughout my career: belonging and inclusion are built not only through policies and strategies, but through the everyday conversations that help people feel seen, valued and heard. Yet leaders often avoid these conversations, not because they don't care, but because they're uncomfortable.
At the heart of my coaching practice is creating psychologically safe spaces where leaders can pause, reflect and gain fresh insight into themselves and their impact.
Drawing on brain-based coaching approaches and leadership assessment tools such as Hogan, I help leaders recognise patterns, challenge assumptions and navigate complexity and difficult conversations with greater clarity and intention.
So often, the conversation we've been avoiding is the one most likely to strengthen trust, deepen understanding and create meaningful change.
If you're committed to growing your leadership impact and creating the conditions for others to thrive, I'd love to partner with you.
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