Creating a psychologically safe workplace is the secret sauce for any organization looking to adapt effectively to change. At ExperiencePoint, we know that this kind of safety fosters open communication and shared responsibility for those experiencing the change firsthand.

Psychological safety creates an environment where everyone feels comfortable expressing ideas, questions, concerns or mistakes without fear of punishment or humiliation. Leaders are responsible for setting this tone. In our Spark by ExperiencePoint™ episode, "Elephant in the Room," we highlight leadership expert Dr. Amy Edmondson’s guide to fostering psychological safety. Her advice? Be inclusive by inviting everyone’s input, show vulnerability by admitting leaders don’t have all the answers and stay curious by genuinely exploring others' perspectives.

A playful approach to psychological safety 

Typically, conversations about psychological safety assume that people operate within a context where they feel discouraged from speaking up. As a result, tactics usually focus on how leaders can use specific words or framing to encourage more open sharing. We decided to put a twist on this approach by creating a setting that discourages people from staying quiet, fundamentally changing the context (and making it a whole lot more fun!).

At a recent team gathering, we introduced a game called “Tell The Bosses They’re Wrong!” where the only way to win was to tell leadership how they could have done better. The goal of this exercise was to encourage courageous candor—our way of saying "speaking up honestly and boldly," according to Greg Warman, ExperiencePoint’s co-founder and the ringleader of this game. This approach allowed the team to openly discuss recent decisions that affected the entire organization. 

“Too often, leaders follow through on decisions without fully grasping how those decisions are perceived by the people impacted,” Greg said.

“Too often, leaders follow through on decisions without fully grasping how those decisions are perceived by the people impacted.”

- Greg Warman, co-founder at ExperiencePoint

He explains that using gamified techniques creates an environment where people are comfortable speaking their minds no matter how “uncomfortable” the topic is and improves decision outcomes in the process.

Let's dive into the details of how the exercise played out.

Tell The Bosses They’re Wrong!      

Participants were split into teams and asked to share feedback through three rounds of prompts. These rounds served a dual purpose. Firstly, they encouraged everyone to voice their opinions and ideas, ensuring they had a say in the decision’s rollout. Secondly, they helped leaders see how the decision was received and uncover any blind spots. By illuminating the path forward, this approach aimed to reduce missteps.

Here’s how each round, with its respective prompt, facilitated constructive dialogue.

Round 1:  “Yes, and…”
Using the prompt ‘yes, and,’ teams brainstormed potential benefits supporting the original rationale behind the decision. For instance, when reviewing the decision to keep an office space, teams realized several benefits, such as:

“Yes and…having a headquarters creates a sense of legitimacy for clients and prospective employees.”

Round 2:  “Yes, but…”
Using the prompt ‘yes, but,’ teams identified the biggest barriers they believe could hinder the decision’s success. For example, when considering keeping the office as a physical space for work, teams expressed concerns like:

“Yes, but… often, when we're in the office, we're on virtual calls with team members who are not present, which doesn't feel like an authentic in-person workday.”

Round 3:  “Better if…”
Using the prompt ‘better if,’ teams generated ideas aimed at addressing the identified barriers and concerns. Building on the original rationale, teams brainstormed suggestions like:

“Better if…we enacted policies to make coming into the office more enticing, like team take-over days or designated zen zones.”

Greg introduces the game show "Tell The Bosses They’re Wrong!"

A team member presents their solution using a storyboard.

This gamified approach to eliciting feedback created a fun atmosphere of trust where everyone felt safe engaging in productive disagreement and freely exchanging ideas. Through these rounds, participants had focused discussions to improve each key decision and move forward with improvements. 

Making change stick with employee insights

As a result of the exercise, Greg explains that leadership identified two priority areas to focus on for the coming months. “With the insights gathered during the game, we outlined actionable items to bring everyone’s feedback to life,” he said. The first involved crafting a better in-office experience for team members, while the second focused on making the office a valuable resource for clients. 

To start, more company-wide gatherings were scheduled to make better use of the office space and foster a sense of connection.  We planned to include a physical land acknowledgment in the office, honoring the land we occupy and demonstrating our commitment to supporting Indigenous communities and causes. Lastly, the office was opened to third-party consulting firms, executive education programs and partners as a space for them to run sessions and other events.

By implementing these strategies, we created a more dynamic and multifunctional office experience and fostered a more robust environment for people to give feedback and feel heard.  Several weeks after the event, Greg noticed the unmistakable culture shift upon receiving an unexpected message.

“I was thrilled when a member of our team emailed a concern she had with a small decision that had been made,” Greg said. “The first line of the email was, "I’m wondering if we should play a round of Tell The Bosses They’re Wrong…?”

Lead better change with psychological safety

Gathering feedback from your team in the wake of big decision-making doesn’t always have to be daunting. It can be fun and engaging, creating a space where bravery isn't required to "Tell The Bosses They’re Wrong!" As more people are encouraged to contribute openly, psychological safety simply becomes an understood part of the culture. A workplace that consistently practices this kind of openness is more likely to be resilient and face challenges together.