Psychological safety for all

“I can’t take it anymore. I need to take a leave and rest or I’m close to having a mental breakdown,” a Gen X manager told me recently.

- FRANCIS J. KONG

A Stellar performer. Multiple “Manager of the Year” trophies. Not a lightweight.

The job isn’t what's breaking her but the messages.

One morning, in a hotel known for premium service, a staffer dropped this gem in the team chat:

“Good morning. Why is my application for leave taking so long for approval? Please explain. Thank you.”

No context. No courtesy. And yes, they added the manager to the chat without even asking.

We often discuss psychological safety — which is beneficial. People should be free to raise issues, own mistakes and explore ideas without fear.

But here’s the part the hashtags often forget: senior leaders also need psychological safety — from weaponized entitlement, lazy phrasing and social media manners imported into a professional workplace.

Safety is not a license to be careless. It’s the courage to be candid — with care.

Most young workers are not rude by design; many are just underexposed to workplace etiquette.

When algorithms curate your life’s curriculum, and your teachers are “Assert Yourself” TikTok and YouTube gurus, you're trained to prize volume over nuance, speed over substance and “my boundaries” over “our mission.”

Meanwhile, many companies skip values orientation because “we're busy.” Translation: “We hired quickly and hoped culture would grow on its own.”

That’s like buying a grand piano and believing the furniture will teach everyone to play.

So what does harmony look like — without turning this column into another 10-step survival guide?

Imagine this instead: