Leading through Trust: QMN015

Martial Mental Models: The Quartermaster, Tuesday, 14 May

(Today’s report is a 4 minute read)

BLUF: Top-down workplaces are often characterized by an atmosphere of fear, where employees feel powerless to voice their concerns to management. The alternative to this is an environment driven by leaders who value psychological safety, which allows for vigorous collaboration.

KSA here. This time last year, I was in Washington D.C. as a participant in GORUCK’s inaugural 50+ Mile Star Course. For the record, my team quit after 37 miles upon realizing that thanks to a failure to pay attention to details on the part of our team leader, there was no way we’d make the final time hack: that’s a story for another time. While in D.C., however, I stayed with a friend whose career in Special Forces spanned decades. Amidst the camaraderie engendered by cigars and bourbon, we discussed, among other things, the qualities of a good leader. Of the many experiences he related, one in particular stood out: the importance of leaders providing an atmosphere of psychological safety.

Now before you recoil thinking that this is some “safe space” hogwash, rest assured that it is not. Psychological safety in this context means an atmosphere where subordinates are not only free, but encouraged, to openly discuss their concerns, identify friction points that they’re wary of, and express their misgivings: in short to have a voice with the assurance that they will be heard. That’s not to say that their concerns will change anything, mind you… only that they will be heard and evaluated on their merits.

The opposite of psychological safety in any work environment is fear. People are afraid to ask questions, let alone voice concerns. Employees leave meetings feeling anxious and unsure, rather than certain and committed. Bureaucracies hamper efficiency. Management is conflated with leadership. The atmosphere is one of resignation, rather than growth and progress.

Conversely, an atmosphere of psychological safety inspires collaboration, teamwork, honesty, and most importantly, trust.

This was the atmosphere that I participated in first-hand when working with Brady, Chris P. and Zach W. in the wargaming exercise we built ahead of the season 8 premiere of Game of Thrones. Discussion was lively – to put it mildly – but ultimately an agreement was reached as to which Course of Action would best serve the mission. Once that COA was in place, every member of our team was committed to making it work. The process was direct, it was loud, it was argumentative… and it was effective. It was quite unlike the hierarchical this-is-the-plan-and-you-will-follow-it “strategy” that I’ve witnessed from would-be leaders throughout my professional life.

Part of this may come naturally to soldiers who are tasked with unconventional warfare. In a December 2018 article for specialoperations.com, Steve Balestrieri a retired Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer writes that “SOF troops are by and large the take charge, Type-A personalities. Knowing how to navigate the potential minefield of huge egos that permeate the atmosphere is never an easy one. That’s why it is best to be direct, transparent and most of all be consistent.” These three elements – candor, transparency, and consistency – could be considered cornerstones of psychological safety in the context of leadership that is part and parcel of that culture. There’s a reason for that. “The best SOF leaders are all mentors,” Balestrieri continues. “They are always training the next operator to take over their job when the time is right. Which is why they mentor their operators to lead.”

AMAZONOMATION: Exclusive: Amazon Rolls Out Machines That Pack Orders and Replace Jobs (7 min) The headline is disingenuous, because make no mistake about it: the machines aren’t replacing jobs, they’re replacing people. And why not? The tech-commerce-AI behemoth is beholden to none but its overlord, stockholders, and ever-impatient Prime customer base, which is soon to see one-day shipping. From the article: “The new machines, known as the CartonWrap from Italian firm CMC Srl, pack much faster than humans. They crank out 600 to 700 boxes per hour, or four to five times the rate of a human packer, the sources said.” Ned Ludd, where are you now? (KSA)

CAPTIVES TO GEOGRAPHY: The Psychological Tricks of Airport Design (10 min) Of particular interest to those of us who came of age before the post-9/11 era of x-rayed genitalia and barefoot walks of shame, this takes a look the psychology of the “non-place;” in this case, the airport. “But any sense of control we may feel in airports stands in stark contrast to the reality that we are, in fact, a captive audience. And perhaps nothing shows that more than one current trend: airports have become so successful at turning passengers into customers, some are now destinations in themselves.” (KSA)

NOT PREPARED FOR THIS: The dark reason so many millennials are miserable and broke (3 min) We’ve led generations astray with our lightning fast adoption of tech. “And a 2018 survey from Allianz Life shows that more than half of millennials (57%, versus just 28% of Gen Xers and 7% of boomers) say they’ve spent money they hadn’t planned to because of something they saw on social media.”

“This likely exacerbates the already tough financial spot many millenials are in: “Millennials (ages 18 to 34) are more likely than other generations to have nothing saved,” according to a 2017 survey from GoBankingRates.com — with nearly half of young millennials (18-24) having $0 in savings. And most haven’t saved appropriately for retirement either.” (BJM)

Remarks Complete. Nothing Follows.

KS Anthony (KSA) & Brady Moore (BJM)