Nancy Zakharia: How to Build Real Psychological Safety (Not Just Buzzwords)

We hear the term "psychological safety" everywhere, but what does it actually look like in practice? Today on Happy@Work, I am joined by leadership coach Nancy Zakharia Ohanessian, who specializes in helping organizations build trust, sharpen leadership capabilities, and create genuinely human-centered environments.Together, we unpack why psychological safety is far more than just a trendy corporate buzzword—it is the non-negotiable foundation for real engagement, sustainable performance, and employee well-being. Nancy explains that everyday leadership behaviors, rather than formal company policies, determine whether people feel safe sharing ideas, admitting mistakes, and challenging the status quo.Connect with Nancy Zakharia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-zakharia-ohanessian-pcc-7608244/ Timecodes:00:00 — Intro and guest welcome00:22 — Nancy’s background and work in talent development01:35 — Biggest leadership challenges today02:53 — What emotional intelligence means for leaders04:37 — Cultural differences and psychological safety05:51 — Building psychological safety in teams10:47 — Why leaders should show vulnerability and mistakes14:07 — Becoming more people-centered as a leader15:31 — Practical steps: curiosity, questions, normalization of mistakes19:25 — Workplace well-being and mental health trends22:26 — Reducing stress for leaders and employees23:23 — Stress management: control vs influence28:45 — Team rituals for connection and recharge31:46 — Recognition, gratitude, and feedback33:09 — 3 key takeaways on psychological safetySubscribe to Happy@Work for more episodes on modern leadership, workplace culture, and building high-trust teams.#PsychologicalSafety #LeadershipDevelopment #EmployeeEngagement #WorkplaceCulture #HappyAtWork #TrustInLeadership #HumanCenteredLeadership