Psychological Safety at Work: What My Great Dane Taught Me About Leadership

A few years ago we learned something important about our Great Dane, Mila.

She is fearless in almost every way…except when the world gets loud.

Thunder and lightning. Fireworks. Big trucks. Wind shaking the house. Anything that sounds like chaos. 

When those moments hit, her nervous system goes into overdrive.

So we bought her a bright pink ThunderShirt and ear muff. She looks slightly ridiculous in it. But something fascinating happens when we put it on.

Her whole body settles. Her breathing slows. She lies down. The world suddenly feels manageable again.

Not because the noises and chaos stop. Because the environment around her finally gave her nervous system what it needed to feel safe.

I think about that a lot when I think about organizations.

Many workplaces ask people to perform at their best while their nervous systems are stuck in storm mode.

Unclear expectations. Constant change. Leaders who feel unpredictable. Cultures where mistakes feel dangerous. Environments where belonging is uncertain.

Then we wonder why people are anxious, guarded, disengaged, or burned out.

Humans are not that different from Mila.

When people feel safe, supported, and understood, their nervous systems settle. When their nervous systems settle, their thinking improves. When thinking improves, performance follows.

That’s not softness.

That’s design.

The best leaders don’t just demand performance. They cultivate and design environments where people’s nervous systems can actually show up and do their best work.

Because when the environment changes, behavior changes.

Better environments. Better culture. Better performance.

A question I’m sitting with this morning: What are the “ThunderShirts” your organizations have designed to calm the chaos and help people feel safe enough to do their best work?

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kevin is passionate about helping people and organizations understand and foster belonging. Drawing on both personal experience and professional expertise, he helps leaders design cultures and experiences where individuals, teams, and communities can thrive and feel they truly belong.