Psychological Safety // Beyond Coding Podcast #32 - Patrick Akil with Gitte Klitgaard

Remote Communication

Remote communication presents unique challenges in maintaining psychological safety within teams. Patrick Akil and Gitte Klitgaard discuss the importance of clear expectations and accountability in remote settings, emphasizing the need for intentional communication to avoid misunderstandings 1. Gitte highlights the loss of non-verbal cues in digital communication, which can lead to misinterpretations 2. She suggests using tools like video calls to bridge this gap, while also respecting individual preferences for privacy 1.

We need to be a lot clearer in our expectations. We need to maybe read it an extra time before we send this message.

--- Gitte Klitgaard

Building a safe communication environment requires acknowledging these challenges and adapting strategies to foster openness and trust 3.

   

Safe Communication

Effective communication is crucial for creating safe environments where team members feel comfortable speaking up. Gitte Klitgaard shares her experience of realizing the impact of her communication style on others, emphasizing the importance of feedback in fostering a safe space 3. She notes that senior team members can unintentionally intimidate less experienced colleagues, which can stifle open dialogue 4.

What you are is always okay. What you do might not be.

--- Gitte Klitgaard

Patrick Akil and Gitte agree that understanding the difference between who we are and what we do is key to improving communication and building trust 4.