How can I create a positive climate for organisational change?

Climate change

When organisations discuss climate, they are not referring to the weather, but rather to the shared meaning employees attach to their daily work experiences. Climate is about how people interpret the events, policies, practices, and behaviours they see around them (Schneider, Ehrhart and Macey, 2013). It is the lived reality of “what it feels like to work here.”

This is distinct from culture, which reflects deep, long-standing patterns of shared assumptions and beliefs (Schein, 2017). Culture tends to be stable, enduring, and slow to shift. Climate, in contrast, is closer to the “daily weather” of an organisation. It can change quickly and is more immediately influenced by leadership behaviours and organisational signals. Where culture is the root system of a tree, climate is the atmosphere that surrounds it: you may not easily transform the roots, but you can influence the environment in which the tree grows.

A climate for change emerges when people experience clarity of purpose, fairness and equity, trust in leadership, recognition and appreciation, standards and accountability, and support for growth. These facets combine to shape whether employees lean into change with energy and resilience or withdraw into cynicism, silence, and resistance. In simple terms, climate for change is the daily environment that determines whether transformation efforts take root or wither.

Why climate matters, and why leaders should care

For leaders, climate is not a “soft” or secondary concern. It is a powerful lever of organisational performance and adaptability. Several reasons make it especially important:

• Direct influence on readiness for change: People respond to the climate they perceive. When employees feel clarity, fairness, and support, they are more willing to take risks, adapt behaviours, and invest energy in change initiatives (Burke and Litwin, 1992). Without this, even the best strategy stalls because people hesitate, resist, or disengage.

• Leaders shape most of the variance: Research consistently shows that leaders are central to climate. Gallup found that leaders account for as much as 70 per cent of the variance in team climate and engagement (Harter, Schmidt and Agrawal, 2020). This means the everyday choices leaders make, such as how they run meetings, whether they recognise contributions, and the way they communicate, have an outsized impact on how people feel and behave.

• Climate can shift quickly: Unlike culture, which evolves over years, climate can be influenced in days or weeks. A leader introducing new routines, symbolic actions, or systems can send immediate signals about what is valued (Denison, 1996). This makes climate a practical lever during times of transformation when rapid adaptation is required.

• Signals matter more than statements: People take their cues from what leaders actually do rather than what they say. A leader who declares that wellbeing is important but continues to send midnight emails creates a climate of stress, not wellbeing. Conversely, a leader who spends time with frontline staff, acknowledges mistakes openly, and recognises contributions creates a climate of inclusion and trust. Climate is shaped less by official strategy documents and more by these daily signals (Goleman, Boyatzis and McKee, 2013).

For these reasons, leaders cannot afford to ignore climate. It directly shapes engagement, performance, and the success of change efforts. Goleman, Boyatzis and McKee (2013) argue that leadership behaviour is not neutral, but creates an emotional ripple effect that defines the atmosphere in which people operate.

The risks of a poor climate for change

The consequences of neglecting climate are profound. Without the right climate, change efforts are likely to stall or fail. Research indicates that 60 to 70 per cent of major change initiatives fail (Kotter, 1996; McKinsey & Company, 2015). While there are many contributing factors, a consistent theme is the lack of an enabling climate.

Some of the key risks include:

• Resistance and disengagement: When employees lack clarity about why change is happening or perceive unfairness in how it is implemented, they become cynical. Resistance often arises not from opposition to the change itself but from mistrust in the climate in which it is being introduced (Burke and Litwin, 1992).

• Silence and risk avoidance: Without psychological safety, the belief that one can speak up without fear of negative consequences, people remain silent. They avoid raising concerns, surfacing mistakes, or suggesting new ideas. Edmondson (2019) found that teams with high psychological safety are up to 60 per cent more likely to innovate successfully.

• Energy drain and burnout; Recognition and appreciation fuel persistence. In climates where progress is not acknowledged, employees quickly adopt “why bother” attitudes. Burnout rises when effort feels invisible or unsupported. Gallup (2021) showed that companies with strong climates of trust and recognition report 50 per cent higher engagement levels than those without.

• Slow and clumsy adaptation: Change requires learning, experimentation, and course correction. In climates lacking support for growth, employees feel unable to develop the skills needed for new demands (Denison, 1996). Without accountability, ownership for change is diffused, slowing organisational agility.

• Reputational and financial costs: The human impact of a poor climate translates directly into business outcomes. High turnover, stalled projects, and disengagement all carry costs. By contrast, organisations with healthy climates report stronger retention, faster project execution, and higher customer satisfaction (Harter et al., 2020).

What leaders can do

Understanding the risks of a poor climate highlights why leaders must take responsibility for shaping a climate for change. The encouraging reality is that climate is highly responsive to leader actions. By focusing on clarity, fairness, trust, recognition, accountability, and support, leaders can quickly shift the atmosphere of their teams and organisations.

Key actions include:

• Provide clarity of purpose. Ensure people understand the reason for change, what is expected of them, and how their work connects to bigger goals. Clarity reduces uncertainty and builds confidence (Burke and Litwin, 1992).

• Demonstrate fairness and equity. Make decisions transparently, apply rules consistently, and ensure recognition and opportunities are justly distributed. Fairness builds trust in the system (Schneider et al., 2013).

• Build trust through integrity. Keep commitments, admit mistakes, and act in ways that align with stated values. Trust is the currency of change (Kotter, 1996).

• Recognise contributions consistently. Recognition fuels persistence and signals that effort is valued (Gallup, 2021).

• Establish standards and accountability. Set clear expectations and hold people to them in a consistent way. Accountability creates ownership (Denison, 1996).

• Support growth and learning. Provide resources, coaching, and encouragement to help people adapt. This creates confidence and optimism about the future (Edmondson, 2019).

Conclusion

Climate for change is not an abstract concept, it is the everyday reality experienced by employees, and it is the determining factor in whether change initiatives succeed or fail. Leaders should care about climate because it directly influences engagement, trust, innovation, and adaptability. More importantly, climate is something leaders can actively shape.

Without the right climate, change is likely to meet resistance, silence, burnout, and slow adaptation. With the right climate, however, organisations unlock energy, trust, and willingness to experiment. Change ceases to be something imposed from above and becomes something people lean into with confidence.

The message for leaders is clear: you are the climate makers. The signals you send through your behaviours, decisions, and presence shape the weather in which your teams work. If you want change to take root, start by cultivating the right climate.

Six facets for climate change

A climate for change does not happen by accident. Leaders create it through the signals they send, the behaviours they model, and the systems they establish. While culture represents the deeply rooted beliefs of an organisation, climate is the everyday weather of organisational life. Employees directly experience it and is open to rapid influence by leaders (Denison, 1996; Schneider, Ehrhart and Macey, 2013).

Research and practice suggest that six facets consistently shape whether employees lean into change or resist it: clarity of purpose, fairness and equity, trust in leadership, recognition and appreciation, standards and accountability, and support for growth. Each facet represents a different lens through which people interpret their workplace and decide how much energy to invest in adaptation and progress.

This section outlines the meaning of each facet, why it is important for leaders, and practical ways to develop it.

1. Clarity of purpose

Employees understand the reason for change, what is expected of them, and how their work connects to larger organisational goals. Without clarity, confusion and rumours dominate. People waste energy trying to guess intentions or protect themselves against uncertainty. Clarity creates direction, reduces anxiety, and fosters alignment (Burke and Litwin, 1992).

Five ways to develop clarity of purpose:

1. Communicate the “why” behind change repeatedly and in simple language.

2. Link team objectives explicitly to organisational strategy.

3. Use visual tools such as roadmaps or strategy-on-a-page to reinforce direction.

4. Check for understanding by asking employees to explain back what they have heard.

5. Provide regular updates as plans evolve, even if all answers are not yet known.

2. Fairness and equity

Decisions, opportunities, and recognition feel consistent and just. People constantly assess whether they are being treated fairly. When fairness is absent, cynicism and disengagement rise. Fair treatment signals respect and builds trust in the system, which is essential during change (Schneider et al., 2013).

Five ways to develop fairness and equity:

1. Make decision-making criteria transparent and accessible.

2. Apply rules and policies consistently across individuals and teams.

3. Create open processes for promotions, rewards, and development opportunities.

4. Actively monitor for bias in systems such as performance reviews.

5. Encourage feedback on fairness perceptions and act on what is heard.

3. Trust in leadership

Employees believe leaders act with integrity, keep their word, and support their people.
Trust is often described as the currency of change. Without it, fear and withdrawal dominate. With it, employees show resilience, commit discretionary effort, and tolerate the discomfort of transformation (Kotter, 1996; Goleman, Boyatzis and McKee, 2013).

Five ways to develop trust in leadership:

1. Do what you say you will do, consistently.

2. Admit mistakes and model accountability at the top.

3. Involve employees in shaping changes rather than imposing decisions.

4. Protect teams from unnecessary external pressures where possible.

5. Be visible and approachable, especially during periods of uncertainty.

4. Recognition and appreciation

Progress and contributions are noticed and valued, not just final outcomes. Recognition fuels motivation and persistence. Employees who feel unseen quickly disengage, while those who feel valued sustain their effort through difficult change processes. Gallup (2021) found that regular recognition is linked with significantly higher engagement and lower turnover.

Five ways to develop recognition and appreciation:

1. Recognise effort and learning as well as results.

2. Personalise recognition to what matters to the individual.

3. Build recognition into team routines, for example ending meetings with acknowledgements.

4. Share recognition publicly to reinforce positive norms.

5. Encourage peer-to-peer appreciation, not only leader-driven recognition.

5. Standards and Accountability

Expectations are clear and people are held to them consistently.
Why it matters: Accountability creates ownership. Without it, drift and lack of responsibility undermine progress. With it, people focus on priorities and share responsibility for outcomes. Denison (1996) shows that consistency and accountability are critical dimensions of effective organisational climates.

Five ways to develop standards and accountability:

1. Define clear expectations for behaviour and performance during change.

2. Agree on success measures and track progress visibly.

3. Hold all levels accountable, including leaders, to reinforce fairness.

4. Address underperformance promptly and constructively.

5. Celebrate when standards are met to link accountability with achievement.

6. Support for growth

Leaders provide coaching, resources, and encouragement for people to learn and adapt. Change inevitably requires new skills and confidence. When people feel supported, they are more willing to experiment and adapt. Without support, stagnation and fear dominate. Psychological safety research shows that growth support is vital for innovation and learning (Edmondson, 2019).

Five ways to develop support for growth:

1. Offer targeted training linked to the skills needed for change.

2. Provide coaching and mentoring to build confidence.

3. Allocate resources, such as time and tools, that enable learning.

4. Encourage experimentation and frame mistakes as learning opportunities.

5. Show belief in people’s potential by giving stretch assignments with back

Conclusion

Each facet of climate for change represents a crucial signal that shapes how employees respond to transformation. Clarity provides direction, fairness builds trust in the system, leadership trust offers emotional security, recognition fuels persistence, accountability creates ownership, and growth support unlocks adaptability.

These facets are not a checklist to be ticked off one by one, but an interconnected system. Weakness in one area undermines the whole climate. For example, recognition without fairness can feel manipulative, while clarity without support can feel overwhelming. Strong climates balance all six facets, creating an environment where people lean into change with energy and resilience.

Leaders are the architects of this climate. The daily choices they make about how to communicate, decide, recognise, and support send powerful signals about what is truly valued. By consciously cultivating each facet, leaders create the conditions where change does not feel imposed but embraced.

Psychological climate – the foundation of a positive climate

What is Psychological Safety? Psychological safety refers to a shared belief that a team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking. In a psychologically safe climate, people feel able to speak up, ask questions, admit mistakes, and offer new ideas without fear of negative consequences for their image, status, or career (Edmondson, 1999; Edmondson, 2019).

This is not about comfort or lack of challenge. Rather, it is about creating an environment where challenge is possible because people are not silenced by fear. When employees trust that their voice will not be punished, they are more willing to take the risks necessary for learning and innovation.

Why psychological safety matters for change

Change introduces uncertainty, and uncertainty amplifies fear. In climates without safety, people protect themselves: they remain silent, avoid risks, and disengage. In climates rich in psychological safety, people engage constructively with change.

Research shows that psychological safety is strongly linked with learning, adaptability, and performance. Edmondson (2019) found that teams with high safety are significantly more likely to innovate and sustain performance under pressure. Gallup (2021) reported that employees who feel their opinions count are almost five times more likely to feel engaged at work. Conversely, McKinsey & Company (2021) highlighted that lack of psychological safety is one of the most common reasons digital and transformation initiatives fail.

Psychological safety therefore acts as a foundation for a climate of change. Without it, leaders can talk about agility and innovation, but employees will continue to play safe, conceal problems, and resist. With it, teams can embrace the risks of learning and adapt faster to shifting demands.

The four stages of psychological safety

Clark (2020) describes four progressive stages of psychological safety, which map the journey from belonging to boldness:

1. Inclusion Safety: People feel accepted as members of the group. They believe they belong and are not excluded for being different.

2. Learner Safety: People feel able to ask questions, make mistakes, and learn without embarrassment.

3. Contributor Safety: People feel free to contribute their ideas, skills, and energy to the team without fear of rejection.

4. Challenger Safety: People feel able to challenge the status quo, raise concerns, or suggest radical ideas without retaliation.

Each stage builds on the one before. Without inclusion, people cannot learn openly. Without learner safety, they hesitate to contribute. Without contributor safety, they will not take the bold step of challenging. Leaders need to nurture all four stages if they want teams to sustain innovation and adaptability.

Assessing psychological safety in your team

A practical way to understand the current climate is to survey team members. Below are 10 statements adapted from Edmondson’s research. Team members rate each statement from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree).

Survey Items:

1. On this team, I understand what is expected of me.

2. I feel my ideas are valued, and I feel safe in suggesting them.

3. If I make a mistake on this team, it is never held against me.

4. When something goes wrong, we work together to find the systemic causes.

5. I feel able to bring up problems and concerns.

6. Members of this team never reject others for being different and nobody is left out.

7. It is safe for me to take an intelligent risk on this team.

8. It is easy for me to ask other members of this team for help.

9. Nobody on this team would deliberately act in a way that undermines my efforts.

10. Working with members of this team, my unique skills and talents are valued and utilised.

How to use it:

• Ask all team members to complete the survey individually and anonymously.

• Calculate the average score per item, and then the overall team average.

• Discuss results together: Where are we strongest? Where do we have opportunities to improve?

• Choose one or two actions to strengthen safety in the next quarter.

Encourage teams to repeat the survey regularly, for example every six months, to track progress. Reviewing the results as a group signals commitment to building safety and creates accountability for improvement.

Ten practical ways to increase psychological safety

Leaders cannot demand psychological safety, but they can cultivate it through consistent behaviour and deliberate choices. The following ten practices are drawn from research and leadership practice (Edmondson, 2019; Clark, 2020; Goleman, Boyatzis and McKee, 2013):

1. Frame work as learning, not execution. Present change initiatives as opportunities to learn together, not as perfect plans to be executed flawlessly.

2. Acknowledge your own fallibility. Admit when you do not have all the answers. Leaders who model vulnerability create space for others to do the same.

3. Respond productively to bad news or mistakes. Focus on understanding causes rather than assigning blame.

4. Invite and act on input. Ask for perspectives in meetings, especially from quieter voices, and show visibly how suggestions influence decisions.

5. Establish clear ground rules for respect. Challenge ridicule, interruption, or dismissiveness consistently.

6. Recognise and reward speaking up. Publicly acknowledge when someone raises a concern or suggests a new idea.

7. Use inclusive meeting practices. Rotate who speaks first, use round-robin sharing, and provide multiple channels for input.

8. Develop your emotional presence. Regulate frustration and defensiveness, showing calm and empathy under pressure (Goleman et al., 2013).

9. nvest in coaching and growth support. Provide resources and mentoring to reduce the fear of inadequacy during change.

10. Normalise constructive challenge. Explicitly invite challenges to assumptions or decisions, and thank people when they raise them.

Conclusion

Psychological safety is the cornerstone of a healthy climate for change. It determines whether people will risk speaking up, experimenting, and learning, or whether they will stay silent and self-protect. Leaders must recognise that safety is not the absence of challenge but the condition that makes challenge possible.

By understanding the four stages of safety, assessing the current climate with a team survey, and applying practical actions to nurture it, leaders can create the conditions for resilience and innovation. Without psychological safety, change feels threatening and paralysing. With it, change becomes an opportunity for growth, learning, and shared progress.

Leaders who consciously cultivate psychological safety build climates where employees not only survive change but thrive within it.

Climate levers – how to shape the climate

Organisational climate is not abstract. It is the everyday experience people have at work: the signals they notice, the stories they tell, and the behaviours they interpret. Leaders shape climate not just through speeches or strategies, but through what they design, tolerate, and reinforce (Schneider, Ehrhart and Macey, 2013).

Research and practice suggest five powerful levers of climate: systems, routines, rituals, symbols, and leader presence. These levers provide practical ways to influence whether people lean into change with energy, or retreat into disengagement and cynicism.

While each lever matters individually, their combined effect is greater than the sum of their parts. Leaders who pull all five in alignment create coherence and trust. Leaders who ignore or misuse them create mixed messages that corrode credibility.

Why the climate levers are important

Organisations often underestimate the power of small signals. Employees watch closely for consistency between what leaders say and what they do. When the climate levers align with stated values, trust builds and engagement rises. When they contradict strategy, cynicism takes hold.

The levers are important because:

• They turn strategy into lived experience. Formal plans mean little if systems or rituals contradict them (Denison, 1996).

• They can be adjusted quickly. Leaders may not shift deep culture overnight, but they can redesign meetings or show up differently tomorrow.

• They drive engagement. Gallup (2021) finds engagement spikes when employees perceive consistent signals of recognition, fairness, and trust.

• They are tangible. Leaders often ask, “What can I do differently tomorrow?” These levers provide specific, practical answers.

The five climate levers:

Lever 1: Systems

The formal structures, policies, and processes that guide behaviour and allocate resources.

Positive vignette: At a global logistics company, leaders redesign their reward system to include collaborative problem-solving, not just individual performance. Cross-functional projects suddenly gain momentum, silos diminish, and employees see that teamwork is truly valued.

Negative vignette: In a technology firm, leaders announce a push for innovation, but the budgeting system only funds projects with guaranteed returns. Employees quickly realise that “innovation” is rhetoric, not reality. Risk-taking collapses, and staff recycle old ideas to meet system requirements.

Five practical ways to use systems positively:

1. Align performance management with behaviours required for change.

2. Ensure recruitment and promotion systems reward adaptability and collaboration.

3. Remove bureaucratic barriers that stifle initiative.

4. Integrate feedback loops that allow employees to share ideas and concerns.

5. Audit systems regularly to check they reinforce fairness and equity.

Three reflection questions:

• Do our systems encourage the behaviours we say we want?

• Where do our systems create obstacles to change?

• What one system could we redesign to better support adaptability?

Lever 2: Routines

Definition: The recurring practices that structure daily work, such as meetings, updates, and communication patterns.

Positive vignette: A healthcare team introduces 15-minute daily huddles. Staff share updates, surface small problems, and request support. Issues are solved quickly, morale improves, and people feel heard. The routine fosters clarity and psychological safety.

Negative vignette: In a consulting firm, weekly meetings drag on for two hours with little structure. Senior voices dominate, junior staff remain silent, and decisions are rarely clear. People dread the meetings, disengage mentally, and see them as wasted time.

Five practical ways to use routines positively:

1. Begin meetings with quick check-ins to build connection.

2. End meetings with clear decisions and accountabilities.

3. Integrate reflection points into projects to learn from successes and failures.

4. Rotate facilitation roles to spread ownership.

5. Replace redundant routines with more purposeful ones.

Three reflection questions:

• Which routines build energy, and which drain it?

• Do our routines reinforce openness and learning?

• What one routine could we redesign to strengthen team climate?

Lever 3: Rituals

Symbolic practices that express values and reinforce meaning, often tied to recognition, milestones, or identity.

Positive vignette: A manufacturing team ends each shift with a two-minute appreciation ritual, where colleagues thank each other for specific contributions. Over time, trust deepens and collaboration flourishes, even during demanding production runs.

Negative vignette: In a financial services firm, quarterly “town halls” only celebrate record-breaking deals. Staff in support roles feel invisible, and fear admitting when things go wrong. The ritual inadvertently signals that only perfection counts.

Five practical ways to use rituals positively:

1. Celebrate learning from mistakes as well as successes.

2. Mark project milestones with collective reflection, not only leader speeches.

3. Use rituals to welcome new members and accelerate belonging.

4. Embed rituals of appreciation into the work rhythm.

5. Connect rituals to organisational purpose, showing impact on customers or communities.

Three reflection questions:

• What rituals currently define our team identity?

• Do our rituals reinforce inclusion, or do they exclude?

• How could we introduce a ritual that celebrates progress during change?

Lever 4: Symbols

Visible signs, objects, or behaviours that embody organisational priorities and values.

Positive vignette: During a merger, senior leaders symbolically remove the old company name from their own business cards first. They hold joint sessions in shared spaces, signalling equality. Employees feel reassured that the integration is genuine.

Negative vignette: In a university, leaders promote “open collaboration” but lock themselves away in a private executive suite. The symbol of closed doors undercuts the message, and staff perceive hypocrisy.

Five practical ways to use symbols positively:

1. Design spaces to encourage collaboration, not hierarchy.

2. Take symbolic actions, such as leaders joining frontline shifts.

3. Make resource allocations visible to symbolise investment in change.

4. Use stories, posters, or artefacts that reinforce values.

5. Retire outdated symbols that contradict the desired climate.

Three reflection questions:

• What symbols dominate our workplace, and what do they signal?

• Do our symbols align with our change priorities?

• What symbolic action could I take to show commitment to change?

Lever 5: Leader presence

Definition: The way leaders show up, interact, and role-model behaviour, particularly during uncertainty.

Positive vignette: In the early days of a digital transformation, the CIO holds weekly open Q&A sessions. She listens carefully, admits when she does not know answers, and shares updates transparently. Her presence reassures staff, who feel safe raising challenges.

Negative vignette: During a factory relocation, executives remain absent for weeks. When they finally appear, it is to criticise missed targets. Staff feel abandoned, mistrust leadership intentions, and disengage from the change effort.

Five practical ways to use leader presence positively:

1. Be visible and approachable, especially during uncertainty.

2. Admit mistakes and role-model accountability.

3. Spend time with frontline staff to understand reality.

4. Demonstrate fairness by treating all consistently.

5. Use calm, emotionally intelligent communication to steady the team (Goleman, Boyatzis and McKee, 2013).

Three reflection questions:

• What signals does my presence currently send?

• Do I create more fear or more confidence when I show up?

• How can I role-model openness and trust?

Summary

The climate levers are the everyday mechanisms through which leaders shape employee experience. Systems set the rules, routines create rhythm, rituals reinforce meaning, symbols embody values, and leader presence humanises the message.

When aligned, the levers send a consistent and credible signal: change matters, and people are supported in making it happen. When misaligned, they sow confusion and mistrust. Leaders should therefore treat the levers as a system to be tuned, not isolated tools.

Personal reflections

Use the questions below to self-coach, or run a short team discussion. Capture one or two actions you will take in the next 30 days.

1) Which lever or facet, if strengthened, would most improve our climate for change, and what is the smallest useful step I can take this week?

2) Where do my current routines, rituals, or symbols send mixed messages, and how will I bring them into alignment with our stated priorities?

3) When did I last respond productively to bad news or a mistake, and what did my behaviour signal to the team?

4) What is one practice I will adopt to increase psychological safety, for example inviting challenge, acknowledging fallibility, or recognising learning effort?

5) How will I use the survey results with my team to agree two concrete experiments for the next quarter, and when will we review progress together?

FURTHER RESOURCES: PODCASTS, TALKS, AND BOOKS

Podcasts

1) “Fearless Organizations” – WorkLife with Adam Grant (guest: Amy C. Edmondson)

Edmondson explains psychological safety and how leaders can create environments where people speak up and innovate. Practical stories show how small leader actions shape climate and performance.

2) “The Power of Small Wins” – HBR IdeaCast (guest: Teresa M. Amabile)

Amabile discusses how everyday recognition, rituals, and routines influence motivation and creativity. The episode shows why leader signals matter more than grand strategy during change.

3) “The Culture First Podcast” – hosted by Damon Klotz

Conversations on how organisations shape culture and climate through systems, rituals, and leader behaviours. Case studies illustrate how aligning signals accelerates change and engagement.

TED Talks or Similar

1) Amy C. Edmondson – Building a Psychologically Safe Workplace

Why psychological safety underpins learning, innovation, and adaptability. Shows how climates that silence people undermine resilience and how leaders can respond.

2) Simon Sinek – Why Good Leaders Make You Feel Safe

Argues that trust and safety are the foundations of strong teams. Illustrates how leader presence and integrity create climates where people can do their best work.

3) Margaret Heffernan – Dare to Disagree

Highlights the value of constructive challenge and dissent. Shows that climates where people feel safe to disagree lead to better decisions and innovation.

Books

1) The Fearless Organization — Amy C. Edmondson (2019)

A practical guide to building psychological safety at work. Provides research evidence and leader practices that shape climates of learning and innovation.

2) Primal Leadership — Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis, and Annie McKee (2013)

Explores how leader presence and emotional intelligence influence organisational climate. Argues that leaders create resonance or dissonance through their behaviour and daily signals.

3) The Culture Code — Daniel Coyle (2018)

Case studies of high-performing teams that reveal how rituals, symbols, and small signals create belonging and trust. Offers practical methods to strengthen climate and collaboration.

References

Burke, W.W. and Litwin, G.H. (1992) ‘A Causal Model of Organisational Performance and Change’, Journal of Management, 18(3), pp. 523–545.

Clark, T.R. (2020) The 4 Stages of Psychological Safety: Defining the Path to Inclusion and Innovation. Oakland: Berrett-Koehler.

Denison, D.R. (1996) ‘What is the Difference Between Organisational Culture and Organisational Climate?’, Academy of Management Review, 21(3), pp. 619–654.

Edmondson, A. (1999) ‘Psychological Safety and Learning Behavior in Work Teams’, Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), pp. 350–383.

Edmondson, A. (2019) The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth. Hoboken: Wiley.

Gallup (2021) State of the Global Workplace Report. Washington, DC: Gallup.

Goleman, D., Boyatzis, R. and McKee, A. (2013) Primal Leadership: Unleashing the Power of Emotional Intelligence. Boston: Harvard Business Review Press.

Harter, J.K., Schmidt, F.L. and Agrawal, S. (2020) Engagement and Performance: Evidence from Gallup Research. Washington, DC: Gallup.

Kotter, J.P. (1996) Leading Change. Boston: Harvard Business Review Press.

McKinsey & Company (2015) Why Implementation Matters: Driving Change That Lasts. McKinsey Quarterly.

McKinsey & Company (2021) Psychological Safety and the Critical Role of Leadership Development. McKinsey Quarterly.

Schein, E.H. (2017) Organizational Culture and Leadership. 5th edn. Hoboken: Wiley.

Schneider, B., Ehrhart, M.G. and Macey, W.H. (2013) ‘Organisational Climate and Culture’, Annual Review of Psychology, 64(1), pp. 361–388.