Speaker: Onyedika Ekwerike, Lecturer, Institute for Leadership Advancement, Terry College of Business, UGA
Onyedika Ekwerike: Hi, my name is Onyedika Ekwerike, and when I think about advice for 2025 for leaders, my advice would be to work to create psychological safety. And the research is consistent. People need organizations and places where they feel like they belong, where they feel like when they share their ideas, when they share their perspective, when they, when they disagree with you as a leader, that they would not be ridiculed, they would not be embarrassed, they would not be punished. They want a place where they feel like they belong, OK, and their perspectives are appreciated and valued. So as a leader, spend your time thinking about the climate within your team, within your organization, so people feel safe there. When people feel like they are safe and they belong, they are more productive, they are more engaged, OK, and then there's less turnover. So for 2025, let's create psychologically safe workplaces.
