Source: Zimbabwe needs national psychological safety –Newsday Zimbabwe
Nations that prosper do so on the back of the collective ingenuity and creativity of their citizens. Ideas and creativity thrive in a culture where citizens feel they have freedom of creative expression and freedom of speech without repercussions.
This culture starts from home, the education system, the workplace and permeates all facets of national discourse.
The Memory Nguwi ICWT episode had the nation abuzz with the importance of psychological safety at the workplace.
As hugely important as this is, we seem to forget that psychological safety cannot suddenly emerge at the workplace among a citizenry that does not practise it at home, school, in church and neighbourhoods.
In an article in the Zimbabwe Independent, Nguwi argues that psychological safety is necessary for improved communication, creativity and productivity at the workplace.
When people are not afraid to express themselves, they are creative and engage in robust disputation which allows the best ideas to rise to the top.
Thus, a national marketplace of ideas is created which powers innovation and productivity.
Citizens cowed by intimidation and fear are not able to express themselves, resulting in a stunted marketplace of ideas and low levels of entrepreneurship.