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Henrik Bresman

Prof @ INSEAD | Author | Board Member & Advisor | Keynote Speaker

Henrik Bresman is an Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior at INSEAD, where he specializes in leadership, high-performance teams, and organizational change. His academic contributions are well-recognized, with research published in prominent journals such as the Academy of Management Journal and Harvard Business Review .23 Bresman is also a co-author of the book X-Teams: How to Build Teams that Lead, Innovate, and Succeed, which explores how teams can assume strategic leadership roles within organizations .34

In addition to his academic roles, Bresman serves on the Technical Advisory Group at the Tanoto Foundation, an independent philanthropic organization focused on empowering individuals to realize their potential. His involvement with the foundation aligns with his expertise in leadership development and organizational behavior .13

Bresman's educational background includes a BS and an MS in economics from the Stockholm School of Economics and a PhD in management from MIT, where he was a Fulbright scholar .3 His teaching encompasses executive education programs aimed at cultivating leaders for rapidly changing environments .4

Highlights

Aug 28 · linkedin

Why is psychological safety still not the norm?

The benefits of it aren’t disputed or controversial. Everyone seems to agree on its importance, yet truly nurturing it in the workplace remains a significant challenge.

It’s widely understood that psychological safety is essential for high-performing teams. It fosters innovation, creativity, and employee wellbeing. And still, despite the overwhelming evidence, many organizations struggle to create truly safe spaces. Why is that?

The reality is, building psychological safety is hard work. It requires leaders to confront their own vulnerabilities and make significant behavioral shifts.

Here are a few common challenges to creating psychologically safe environments:

1️⃣ Bad ideas: Let's be honest: not every idea is a winner. This presents a delicate challenge for leaders. While it’s essential to foster a culture of experimentation and risk-taking, it's equally important to provide constructive feedback without stifling creativity. Repeatedly dismissing ideas can erode psychological safety, making team members hesitant to share their thoughts in the future.

2️⃣ Discomfort: Some of the steps required to create psychological safety within a team can be difficult for a leader to take. For example, relinquishing control, admitting mistakes, or being vulnerable in front of a team can feel counterintuitive to traditional leadership styles. Additionally, fostering open dialogue and dissent can challenge a leader’s authority and require a shift in mindset.

3️⃣ Maintaining authority: Leaders must balance empowerment with accountability. While fostering a psychologically safe environment requires delegation and trust, it's essential to maintain a clear leadership role. Over-reliance on team input or excessive fear of appearing authoritarian can create confusion, hinder decision-making, and impact team performance. Overcoming these hurdles is crucial for cultivating a culture where everyone feels empowered to contribute their best.

What are your biggest challenges in creating psychological safety?

#lLeadership #PsychologicalSafety #LeadershipDevelopment #Teamwork #Innovation

Aug 22 · linkedin

In case you missed it… In this edition of xNEWS I discuss how to build high-performing teams that can navigate an exponentially changing environment.

I explore the importance of learning from external misalignments (rather than shutting them out) and share some practical tools for building the capacity to tackle the challenges involved.

Read it here ⤵️

#Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #ChangeManagement #TeamBuilding #Innovation

Related Questions

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Henrik Bresman
Henrik Bresman, photo 1
Henrik Bresman, photo 2
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Location

Singapore