Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about silence.
Not the kind we seek for mindfulness or calm—but the kind that fills a room when something inappropriate is said and no one speaks up. The silence that follows a joke that wasn’t funny. The shrug when someone withdraws from the team. The “she’ll be right” attitude when we sense something’s off—but convince ourselves it’s not our business.
This week on the Future Fit Leadership podcast, I spoke with Karen Maher—founder of SmartCulture, former employment lawyer, and a powerful advocate for psychologically safe workplaces. Her message was crystal clear: when leaders walk past poor behaviour, we are accepting it as the standard.
We have all seen and experienced it. Businesses with beautiful values on the wall, glossy policies in the handbook, but a culture that tells a different story. Karen calls it out plainly: “Culture isn't magic. It’s deliberate, measured, and actively shaped by what leaders tolerate, and what they don’t.”
Karen’s early legal career was spent stepping in once harm had already been done. “When you see me,” she says, “it’s usually too late.”
The lesson? Prevention must be the priority. We can’t afford to wait for complaints. By then, the damage to trust, culture, and individual wellbeing is already done—and in some cases, irreversible.
What stops people from speaking up? It’s not a lack of awareness. It’s fear.
Fear of not being believed. Fear of career suicide. Fear that nothing will change.
Karen shared that only around 20% of those who experience sexual harassment ever report it. Not because it doesn’t happen—but because our systems and cultures haven’t made it safe to do so.
And here’s the kicker: it’s not just the targets of poor behaviour who hesitate. Bystanders freeze too. Karen teaches leaders and teams to become active bystanders—to replace nervous laughter with leadership, silence with strategy. Whether it’s changing the subject, checking in with someone privately, or escalating discreetly, we all have a role.
Karen urges leaders to watch for the quiet indicators: someone withdrawing, making more mistakes, taking more leave, going quiet in meetings. Don’t dismiss these as “mood swings” or disengagement. They are often the red flags of harm.
More importantly, a lack of complaints doesn't mean nothing is happening. It may just mean people don't trust your systems—or your leadership.
The law has caught up. Psychosocial safety is now a health and safety requirement. Leaders have a legal obligation to act—not just when something is reported, but to prevent harm in the first place.
And yet, some still fall into the “don’t tell me, I don’t want to know” mindset. Karen calls it the head-in-the-sand approach—and it’s a risk no business can afford.
Because the impact is real: reputational damage, talent loss, a breakdown in trust, performance decline. I’ve heard leaders hesitate, worried that if they implement better reporting systems, the number of complaints will spike. But as Karen says, “You’re not creating the problem—you’re just finally seeing it.”
It’s Not Just About Policies. It’s About What You Do.
The policies matter, yes—but they’re not enough. If your leaders aren’t modelling the behaviour, calling it out, and making it clear that safety is non-negotiable, those documents are just words.
Its important to note the difference between the two.
Psychological safety is about interpersonal dynamics — it’s the right to feel safe at work, to speak up with ideas, questions, or concerns without fear of embarrassment, punishment, or being shut down. It’s built through trust, respect, and everyday leadership behaviours.
Psychosocial safety, on the other hand, is about the broader organisational environment. It refers to the systems, structures, and relationships that impact our mental wellbeing — things like workload, job design, conflict, or unclear reporting lines. It’s now also a legal requirement under workplace health and safety law.
Both are essential — and when leaders get them right, they don’t just protect their people. They build the kind of workplace culture where performance, trust, and wellbeing thrive together.
This episode reminded me of something simple but powerful: your culture is defined by the worst behaviour you allow.
So here’s the challenge to all of us as leaders: What are you walking past? Who in your organisation is staying silent? And what would it take to make them feel safe enough to speak?
Because silence has a cost. And the best leaders refuse to let others pay it.