HEAR
Creating psychological safety before decisions are formed.
Creating psychological safety before decisions are formed.
When people do not feel heard, one of two things happens:
Silence replaces risk
they go quiet and withhold risk signals
Emotion replaces clarity
or they escalate emotionally and defensively
Both outcomes degrade decision quality. Hear exists to slow reaction without slowing execution. It reduces noise so leaders can work with signal.
What This Stage Is
Hear is the disciplined act of listening without solving. Hearing does not mean agreeing. It means withholding judgment long enough for reality to surface.
Leaders explicitly set intent and sequence.
Typical prompts include:
Hear is complete when the group agrees on what the problem actually is.
These are the practical signs that safety and shared understanding are present — before analysis or solutions begin.
Participants agree they’ve been understood
People can accurately restate what was said without correction. There is no need to repeat, defend, or escalate to be heard.
The problem is clearly defined
The group can name the issue in one sentence, including impact — without drifting into solutions or competing interpretations.
Emotions de-escalate rather than intensify
Tone stabilizes. People stop performing urgency and begin speaking in specifics. Defensiveness reduces because the container feels safe.
Information feels complete, not defensive
Key context is shared without withholding, posturing, or selective framing. The group has enough reality to move into Evidence.