Log in or create a free Rosenverse account to watch this video.
Log in Create free account100s of community videos are available to free members. Conference talks are generally available to Gold members.
People Are Sick of Change: Psychological Safety is the Cure
Summary
At the heart of any organization, people are the driving force. And people are exhausted, depleted, languishing, detached, and burned out from continuous change. The tech layoffs, bank collapses, org restructuring, and being asked to do more with less have challenged workers in ways like never before. There is a global human energy crisis, and creating a culture of psychological safety is the cure.
Key Insights
-
•
Continuous organizational change triggers fear of the unknown, causing physical, emotional, and mental stress.
-
•
Humans need a balance of certainty and variety; too much uncertainty or certainty is harmful.
-
•
Stress from change reduces operating IQ by up to 50%, impairing problem solving and collaboration.
-
•
Psychological safety is not just psychological but a neurobiological state regulated by the autonomic nervous system.
-
•
Stephen Porges’ polyvagal theory explains how nervous system states (safe, mobilized, immobilized) affect workplace behavior and burnout.
-
•
Managers experiencing burnout feel less safe to speak up, creating a paradox where those most stressed are least able to ask for help.
-
•
Cultural change requires behavior change, not just declarative statements about safety.
-
•
Fostering psychological safety through connection, choice, and context enables teams to better navigate change and stress.
-
•
Simple rituals—like breathing together, mistake celebrations, and honest check-ins—help regulate nervous system responses.
-
•
Design ops professionals can drive safety locally even when leadership or broader company culture is out of their control.
Notable Quotes
"People have a biological need for certainty, but also a need for variety—not too much of either."
"Stress drops our operating IQ by half, so we can’t do our jobs well under chronic stress."
"Psychological safety is the felt permission to be honest, to speak up, and admit mistakes without fear."
"The autonomic nervous system is 500 million years old and doesn’t know the difference between organizational change and a lion attack."
"Managers with more burnout score 34 points lower on feeling safe to speak up than those with none."
"Fear of losing your livelihood drives people to work longer hours and avoid asking for support."
"Cultural safety is behavior at scale—the behaviors we incentivize shape culture."
"The biggest stressor is when people know bad things are happening and nobody talks about them."
"Connecting with colleagues and making those connections intentional is key to feeling psychologically safe."
"Psychological safety is the foundation upon which collaboration, innovation, and performance are built."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"Celebrate progress continuously and use OKRs as a learning process to evolve goals and strategies."
Bria Alexander Benson Low Natalya Pemberton Stephanie GoldthorpeOKRs—Helpful or Harmful?
January 20, 2022
"Digital identity cards had a bad reputation, but when we explored further, we realized the card itself is a valuable existing asset."
Magdalena ZadaraZero Hour: How to Get Far Quickly When Starting Your Digital Service Unit Late
November 16, 2022
"Facilitation is a life skill we can’t possibly do wrong to keep improving at."
John Mortimer Milan Guenther Lucy Ellis Patrick QuattlebaumPanel Discussion
December 3, 2024
"Having a monthly newsletter gave people one place to go instead of having to check Slack or emails all the time."
Kara KaneCommunities of Practice for Civic Design
April 7, 2022
"Building a research activation initiative is a marathon, not a sprint, requiring ongoing adaptation."
Jake BurghardtStop wasting research: Unlock more value from research insights
June 24, 2025
"Experience sampling captures real-time lived experience repeatedly to examine patterns of change and growth."
Amelia ColeData-Prompted Interviews
December 17, 2021
"The alert Julie received didn’t apply to her and didn’t affect her morning commute."
Kristin TaylorBuilding Bridges Across Organizational Silos
November 18, 2022
"If someone says they don’t want to do this team activity, I say great, you should lead the next one with your idea."
Shipra Kayan Tess DixonHow Tess Dixon Facilitates Team Engagement and Collaboration at Condé Nast Using Miro
October 1, 2021
"The best future leaders will embody the qualities, skills and traits of a DEO, a Design Executive Officer."
Maria GiudiceEmpowering change: Reigniting purpose, passion and impact in research
March 13, 2025
