Safety has to be there

Safety is not simply a workplace benefit. It is a pre-existing condition that makes authenticity, creativity, critical thinking, and strong performance possible. In this episode, Kate Johnson talks with Jessica Donahue, founder of Adjunct Leadership Consulting, about what physical, financial, and psychological safety look like at work—and why all three are under pressure.

Drawing on Jessica’s experience as a trauma-informed workplace leader, they explore how past experiences shape present-day responses to uncertainty, organizational change, and the loss of choice. They also examine why authenticity should never require complete exposure, how autonomy helps people regulate their nervous systems, and why leaders must model the candor they expect from others.

The conversation offers practical ways to foster safety, including setting clear boundaries, explaining business decisions, acknowledging what you do not know, responding constructively to mistakes, advocating for employees’ financial needs, and planning support for managers responsible for delivering difficult news.

Listen for a thoughtful conversation about creating workplaces where people can learn, contribute, and do their best work without being asked to perform vulnerability or pretend that uncertainty does not affect them.

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Key takeaways

• Safety is a pre-existing condition for authenticity, creativity, critical thinking, and effective performance.
• Workplace safety includes physical, financial, and psychological safety. These forms are interconnected rather than separate.
• Authenticity does not require complete visibility or vulnerability. Being reserved can also be authentic.
• Leaders should not require employees to perform authenticity, vulnerability, or risk-taking to prove that they belong.
• When people feel threatened, their nervous systems make it more difficult to think critically, solve problems, and do their best work.
• Choice and autonomy can help restore a sense of control, particularly for people whose previous experiences involved having choices taken away.
• Leaders should distinguish clearly between the choices employees can make and the responsibilities that are part of their roles.
• Psychological safety grows when leaders admit mistakes, acknowledge what they do not know, and respond to problems without shame or punishment.
• Leaders should not make promises they cannot keep during uncertain circumstances. Honest limits are more trustworthy than false reassurance.
• Managers can support financial safety by understanding compensation systems, building relationships with decision-makers, and presenting credible business cases for their employees.

Timestamps

00:00 Meet Jessica Donahue

01:10 A trauma-informed approach to work

02:23 Safety as a leadership skill

06:19 Authenticity can include holding back

11:40 Three forms of workplace safety

13:22 Why workplace safety is under pressure

21:21 Safety, stress, and performance

30:27 Restoring safety through choice

40:41 How leaders model psychological safety

50:33 Advocating for financial safety

Keywords

workplace safety, psychological safety, trauma-informed leadership, employee well-being, leadership transparency, workplace autonomy, financial safety, nervous system regulation, authentic leadership, organizational trust