Seek - Speak - Listen - A Simple Framework To Bring Trust In Your Organization

It worked at Boeing for 140.000 people in 30 days, inspired from NeuroLeadership Institute

Situation:

Can you be yourself at work? Can you freely speak up and express your opinion?

There is a lot to talk about here, especially around building a psychologically safe environment at work. This is not done overnight. It can be improved with sessions, but if not maintained and nurtured, it simply does not work. It is a “lifestyle,” as Simon Sinek says.

This post is about sharing a very simple framework that Boeing implemented with the help of the NeuroLeadership Institute.

They applied it for 30 days with 140,000 employees and achieved a 31-point increase in teammates’ comfort speaking up (as per the study in the research link). Seventy-four percent of their teammates say that they feel comfortable speaking up, and they continue applying this framework and measuring the results.

I think this framework is very versatile and can be applied in different areas, independent of an organization’s industry.

What is the Seek–Speak–Listen framework?

🎲 Seek using questions: seek out in your team where the anxiety lies. What fears do people have? What are we missing? Which perspectives are we not hearing? What is bothering you? Do this while taking a pause from the day’s work — even when it feels uncomfortable — and navigate through it to uncover what has not yet been seen. Awareness can teach us and help us improve.

🎲 Speak up: talk about what’s on your mind with your team. Maybe you’ve thought about something that no one else has. Do this for the benefit of your team — because you care about them. If there are mistakes, talk about them. Only by talking and reflecting can you learn from them.

🎲 Listen with curiosity: listen to understand, not to respond. Listen with curiosity — to learn from what the other person is saying. That’s what enables us to take constructive action. Listening builds trust and leads to better decisions.

One-phrase summary:

Seek–Speak–Listen is a simple framework that fosters a psychologically safe work environment. Used daily, it becomes a habit — and that is the secret of a smart organization.

Resources:

• Brain at Work Podcast - Boeing’s Most Significant Culture Change

• Brain at Work Podcast - The Neuroscience of Psychological Safety

How can I help you do this in your organization?

I create deep sessions using this framework and Lego Serious Play or various games to bring not only trust but also play at work. Contact me for inquiries at contact@asinnovativeminds.com

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