ABSTRACT
Language is powerful. As leaders, our words strongly influence the degree to which our people experience trust or fear. The use of parent–child language can diminish psychological safety within our teams and inhibit the flow of potentially vital information. In Chapter 6, the author illustrates how top-down, hierarchical language has permeated traditional safety processes and examines the negative impact that certain titles, phrases, and labels can have on how safety is perceived by the workforce. The author also provides examples of how authentic leaders have successfully implemented strategies to utilize more inclusive, adult–adult language that results in a more mature safety climate. As leaders, it is inevitable that, from time to time, we are required to have challenging conversations with team members. On such occasions, monitoring our own emotional state, owning our words, and inviting our people in can help us engage in difficult conversations without losing the trust of our people.
