In this episode of The Safety Edge Podcast, we explore how safety conversations can shift from genuine engagement to performative leadership. Through a real-world workplace scenario, we unpack the hidden risks of compliance-driven dialogue, the pressure to “look safe,” and how performative behaviors quietly erode psychological safety and weaken safety culture.

We dive into why authentic safety conversations are critical for building trust, fostering engagement, and driving lasting safety performance. Whether you’re a safety leader, manager, or part of a high-risk team, this episode will help you recognize when safety dialogue becomes performative and how to restore authenticity to your workplace conversations.

Key takeaways:

• How performative behaviors undermine real safety improvement
• Signs your team may be “performing” safety rather than practicing it
• Practical ways to foster psychological safety and honest feedback
• The leadership shift from appearance to authenticity

Tune in and learn how authentic leadership and meaningful dialogue can transform your safety culture and create environments where people truly speak up, learn, and grow.

Keywords: safety conversations, performative leadership, psychological safety, safety culture, authentic leadership, safety podcast, workplace safety

When leaders appear approachable but fail to create real space, silence can replace trust. In this episode of The Safety Edge Podcast, Charles Sampson explores psychological safety, speaking up at work, and safety leadership, showing how to build trust, dialogue, and engagement in high-risk workplaces.

The episode explores the dilemma of speaking up in a culture of silence, where leaders face the challenge of addressing safety concerns in an environment resistant to bad news. It delves into the impact of coaching-based leadership and the strategies for creating a culture of trust and truth.

Takeaways

• Coaching-based leadership approach
• Silence as a response to conditions

Chapters

• 00:00 Insights and Reflections