How to Create Psychological Safety with a “User Guide to Me”
“User Guide to Me”: A Simple Tool to Create Psychological Safety
Reader Note: The following is a snippet from an interview with Maggie Brady, VP of HR at White Cap that will be incorporated into Darren Reinke’s upcoming book, The Savage Manager.
Psychological safety is a commonly used term, but it can be nebulous for some to grasp and a challenge to establish within teams.
In practical terms, teams with psychological safety feel comfortable sharing their ideas, experiences, and opinions without fear of being railroaded or unfairly criticized by their manager and team members. Psychological safety unleashes collaboration, innovation, and creativity as great ideas, perspectives, and experiences are not held back.
Maggie Brady, VP of HR at White Cap, uses a tool called the “User Guide to Me” as a way to build mutual understanding and connection among fellow team members in support of greater trust and psychological safety.
The “User Guide to Me” is much more than a form that’s filled out. It’s a deeply personal document that peels back the layers of each team member; their hopes, dreams, strengths, and their stress points.
The Guide is a great tool to use when you are new to your role or have just formed a new team. “I’m using it right now with my new team,” she said. “It’s a powerful tool to help team members reflect and articulate what matters to them and what they need to be successful. I want to know my teammates on a personal level. This template helps accelerate that process.”
The Guide can also be used with existing teams. It's a tool to learn more about each other, create empathy, and gain a deeper appreciation for what makes each person tick. “This tool helps us see each other for who we are so we can appreciate the similarities and the differences.” she explained. “ It builds mutual understanding and respect.”
The User Guide to Me has three main sections: Career Goals, Personal Development, and Personal Preferences. In the Career Goals section, team members outline their 5-10 year aspirations and short-term 1-2 year targets. This gives Maggie a clear view of where her team members want to go and how she can help them get there.
The Personal Development section is equally insightful. It prompts team members to share areas they're working on improving and past feedback they've received. "Something I’m working on improving that I’d really like your help with is…” This vulnerability is key. It opens the door to genuine support and growth, making it clear that everyone is in this together.
Then there’s the Personal Preferences section. This is where the magic happens. Team members reveal how they react under stress, what they need more of, and what really upsets them. "When I’m tired or stressed, you may notice that I become…” This creates transparency and is crucial for avoiding unnecessary conflicts and fostering a supportive environment.
Maggie doesn’t just file these guides away. She integrates them into her daily interactions. "I use OneNote to organize my one-on-ones with them and I have it [User Guide to Me] as a dedicated tab," she shared.
She reviews these guides regularly, ensuring that she’s always in tune with her team's evolving needs and preferences. "It helps ensure I understand where they want to improve, what they need, and how I can support them with their development needs,” she continued. “It also makes sure that I'm aware of their preferences, that I'm not purposely agitating them.”
But, it’s not just a tool that Maggie uses in her interactions with her direct reports. It’s a powerful way for team members to learn about each other; their hopes and dreams, how to engage with each other, and what’s important to each of them.
“It’s also important for us to read each other's so that even as peer-to-peer, they're aware of these things.” In that way it’s a “many to many” tool that fosters connections among team members and also has the potential to cascade out into the organization.
Revisiting the User Guide isn’t just a yearly task. Maggie advocates for quarterly check-ins. “Has anything shifted? Are there things that I'm doing that are working well, things I want you to think about doing differently?” These regular updates ensure that the team remains aligned and that any issues are addressed before they could fester.
Creating psychological safety is the job of managers and is tightly correlated with team performance. The User Guide to Me is a powerful tool to build mutual understanding and connection in service of building psychological safety.
Put This Into Action
Boost psychological safety in your team by adopting a “User Guide to Me.”
Start with Why: Like with any change, start by explaining the “why” behind the adoption of the Guide—to boost awareness and understanding of others in service of greater trust and psychological safety. Explaining “why” lowers the resistance to adoption.
Provide Space for Self Reflection: The “User Guide to Me” is personal. Provide time and space for your team to reflect on their goals, dreams, and aspirations as well as their personal preferences. Encourage them to insert the insights and awareness created from your one-on-ones into their guide.
Document It: If it's not written down, it won’t get done. Encourage your team to capture their thoughts and keep the guide accessible—before team meetings and one-on-ones.
Make it Part of the Working Rhythm: Be sure it’s not a document that sits on a shelf or in a folder on your laptop. Use the insights from each person’s guide as part of one-on-ones, team meetings, and offsites. At the outset of meetings, ask your team to share one example from their Guide as well as how it came to light in the past week. Doing so keeps the Guide and its insights top of mind and supportive of team needs and goals.
Revisit and Renew: Situations change. Roles change. Preferences change. Treat the “User Guide to Me” as a living document. Update it as situations change and as you gain new awareness to your preferences—what excites you and what puts you on your heels. Encourage your team to do the same. Update the guide and share it with your team, both one-on-one and part of a team meeting. But be sure the context is appropriate for sharing.
About The Savage Manager
The Savage Manager will focus on the principles that are common to the most successful people leaders and how they apply them in their roles. Each chapter will address a pressing challenge facing managers. It will outline the issue they are facing, why it’s important, and most importantly, provide “how to” recommendations to address each of the challenges. Some of the questions it will answer are the following:
How Do I Motivate and Inspire My Team?
How Do I Create a Sense of Purpose within My Team?
How Do I Create Psychological Safety?
How Do I Communicate Effectively with My Team?
How Do I Increase My Team’s Performance?
How Do I Prevent Employee Turnover?
How Do I Manage Conflict More Effectively within My Team?
How Do I Develop the People on My Team?
How Do I Nurture the Wellbeing of My Team Members?
How Do I Give Feedback to My Team?
How Do I Create Strong Team Chemistry?
How Do I Create a Strong Culture?
How Do I Encourage More Creativity and Innovation?
How Do I Encourage Effective Risk Taking?
How Do I Get My Team to Think More Strategically?
How do I Lead My Team Through Change?