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Episode 07: Is it Safe in Here? Show Notes
- nstraza
- Jul 14
- 3 min read
Show Notes
Episode Summary:
The concept of psychological safety is often misunderstood by organizations as a simple, task-oriented checklist or a logical, cognitive exercise. In this deep dive, hosts Nicki Straza and Sherri Dockree reveal that our sense of safety at work isn't just a thought, it is a deeply physiological and neurobiological response driven by our nervous systems.
The primary dissonance discussed in this episode explores the panic employers often feel when they mistakenly believe they must take full ownership of their employees' mental health or act as workplace therapists. This friction is further complicated by intersectional clashes in the modern workplace. The hosts discuss how younger generations consider emotional care non-negotiable while older generations were conditioned to suppress their feelings at work. Additionally, they explore how neurodivergent employees, such as those with ADHD, face heightened threat responses and rejection sensitivity that standard workplace safety protocols fail to address.
To disrupt this dissonance, the conversation shifts the focus to how leaders can build behavioral "guardrails" rather than trying to "fix" their people. By prioritizing self-awareness, deep curiosity, and treating human dignity as a prerequisite for productivity, organizations can adopt an order of operations that puts "people before task." In doing so, they ensure their teams are operating out of their executive functioning rather than their fight-or-flight survival instincts.
About our Hosts:
Nicki Straza (Co-Host): A corporate workshop facilitator who focuses on the neurobiology and generational dynamics of psychological safety, drawing heavily on her own experiences with ADHD and the exhausting reality of masking in the workplace.
Sherri Dockree (Co-Host): An educator and former corporate leader who utilizes her lived experience with neurodiversity to help organizations move beyond simple task-oriented compliance to create truly supportive and flexible work environments.
(Note: There were no outside guests interviewed in this specific episode).
Key Takeaways:
Main point: with more
Safety is a feeling, not a thought: Psychological safety is rooted in our neurobiology. When employees feel unsafe, their brains shift out of the prefrontal cortex (responsible for executive function and critical thinking) and slam into the amygdala (triggering a fight, flight, freeze, or fawn reaction).
Employers provide the environment, not the cure: Organizations are not expected to fix their employees' personal problems or take 100% ownership of their mental health; rather, their role is to establish the guardrails, boundaries, and environments where safety has the opportunity to thrive.
Intersectionality complicates safety: The modern workplace is a complex mix of neurodiverse individuals—who may experience intense emotions and rejection sensitivity—and multiple generations (such as Gen Z vs. Boomers) who hold entirely opposite views on emotional regulation and what constitutes "professionalism".
Safety starts with self-leadership: Leaders cannot successfully create a psychologically safe culture if their own internal dialogue is toxic. Cultivating safety for a team begins with the leader being a safe, kind, and non-judgmental person to themselves first.
People before task is an order of operations: Prioritizing psychological safety does not mean abandoning the actual work. Instead, it means building up human capacity first so that the necessary tasks get completed organically and effectively.
Download the Transcript
Download the PDF of the transcript here:
Links and References in Our Episode:
Mental Health Commission of Canada: Referenced during the episode regarding their comprehensive, multi-factor Psychological Health and Safety model. Link to The Standard
Visit our website at www.dissonancedisrupted.ca
Email Sherri directly at connect@dissonancedisrupted.ca
Email Nicki directly at info@dissonancedisrupted.ca
About The Dissonance Disrupted Podcast:
In a world where DEI feels lost and inclusion is becoming a bad word, we are having real conversations about leadership through the lenses of diverse voices. As generational and neurodiversity advocates, we are disrupting this sense of dissonance and navigating a path toward personal empowerment, conscious leadership and organizational success. By leveraging evidence-based practices, rooted in neuroscience we can nurture a flourishing workplace culture where every diversity thrives. We are your hosts Sherri Dockree & Nicki Straza and welcome to the Dissonance Disrupted Podcast.
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