Canceling the Culture of Nice to Enhance Psychological Safety

The benefits of working in a diverse workplace are well-documented (Ely & Thomas, 2020). The positive attention to diversity at work often keeps us at a superficial level of engagement, which can result in creating a culture of nice at work (MacDonald, 2011). Niceness may compromise psychological safety, and it may keep us from addressing diversity-related conflict, which is necessary for actually fostering psychological safety. Naming niceness and developing strategies for waging good conflict using relational skills (Hartling & Sparks, 2008) can deepen our appreciation of diversity and facilitate more psychological safety. This presentation will provide attendees with foundational skills in identifying and utilizing effective relational skills in support of developing deeper engagement and greater psychological safety in the workplace.

• Identify “culture of nice” qualities that may impede psychological safety.
• Specify strategies for addressing diversity-related ruptures and impasses.

Carlton E. Green, PhD