Psychological Safety and Gaslighting: Dealing with Gate Keepers
In today’s workplaces, psychological safety is paramount for fostering innovation, collaboration, and productivity. Psychological safety means employees feel safe to express themselves, voice concerns, or ask questions without fear of judgment, retaliation, or humiliation. However, in some toxic environments, psychological safety is undermined by gaslighting behaviors, particularly from individuals who act as “gatekeepers.”
Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation where a person makes someone question their reality, perceptions, or memory. In workplaces, gaslighters often assume the role of a “gatekeeper”—a person who controls information flow, access to resources, or decision-making while subtly undermining others. This behavior can erode psychological safety, leaving employees doubting themselves and hesitant to speak up.
The Gatekeeper Personality
A gatekeeper in the workplace often wields power by controlling access to vital information, opportunities, or relationships. Their behavior is motivated by a desire to maintain authority or to limit others' success. These individuals might seem helpful on the surface but engage in subtle manipulations that prevent others from advancing or contributing freely.
Common behaviors of gatekeepers include:
- Withholding Information: Gatekeepers selectively share or withhold information critical to a project, ensuring they maintain control over its progress and outcomes.
- Undermining Confidence: They subtly question your ideas, suggesting that your thoughts are misguided or lack expertise. Over time, this gaslighting makes employees second-guess their judgment.
- Redirecting Credit: When others succeed, gatekeepers may take credit for work or subtly suggest that the success wouldn't have been possible without their guidance.
- Blocking Access: These individuals control who gets access to certain meetings, resources, or decisions, ensuring that only a few selected individuals move forward.
Combating Gaslighting and Gatekeeper Behaviors
To counteract gaslighting and re-establish psychological safety, it's essential to recognize the behavior early and take proactive steps. Here are three ways to address this issue:
1. Create Transparent Systems
Establish transparent communication and decision-making systems within the organization. Encourage open dialogue where information is shared broadly rather than funneled through a few individuals. Use collaborative tools and platforms that allow all team members to access the same resources and data, making it harder for gatekeepers to monopolize information.
Actionable Tip: Use shared project management systems where tasks, deadlines, and updates are visible to everyone involved. This reduces the opportunity for gatekeepers to distort or withhold information.
2. Encourage Psychological Safety Through Leadership
Leaders must foster a culture of trust and openness by encouraging feedback and questions from all employees. When leaders model vulnerability, such as admitting mistakes or being open to differing opinions, it sets the tone for others to speak up without fear of retaliation.
Actionable Tip: Hold regular check-ins or team meetings where everyone is encouraged to speak, and make sure all contributions are valued. Leaders should step in when they notice manipulative or dismissive behavior, calling it out and reinforcing team norms of respect and inclusion.
3. Document and Advocate
If you're dealing with a gatekeeper personality, documenting interactions is crucial. Keep records of important communications, decisions, and tasks, so that if your reality is questioned, you have proof to counter the gaslighting. Also, don’t hesitate to advocate for yourself or others who may be affected by gatekeeper behaviors.
Actionable Tip: If you notice patterns of manipulation or exclusion, bring them to HR or a trusted leader. Frame the conversation around the broader impacts on the team's psychological safety and productivity, rather than personal grievances.
Conclusion
Gaslighting and gatekeeping behaviors can severely damage psychological safety in the workplace. By recognizing the signs of gatekeeper personalities and taking proactive steps—like creating transparency, encouraging open communication, and documenting interactions—we can dismantle these harmful behaviors. Ultimately, fostering psychological safety ensures that all employees can thrive, collaborate, and innovate in a supportive environment.
