Safety. On Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, that is the bottom rung, the foundation that allows to build a strong pyramid on top of. When this is fulfilled, we often forget how important that is. It allows our higher human functions and aspirations to flourish. When it is not fulfilled, this becomes an all-consuming quest to set that right again. And the brainspace for other things shrinks.
From the outside, we might not see how safe a person actually feels. Especially in a business environment, we often don’t know the whole story, we can deduct, and sometimes we can ask and hope to get an honest answer. Entrepreneurship is a particularly rocky journey as you are setting out into the unknown – often leaving behind stable employment. During times of change or uncertainty, safety is a key one to watch for yourself, and for others as a leader. A perceived lack of safety can make things escalate with lightning speed and reactions can flare up.
Safety is something to be grateful for when we have it. And to be compassionate and helpful towards people who don’t have it to the same degree and to help them get a bit more of it so they can start (re)building the higher stages of the pyramid.
What does Safety mean for you? What is the one thing that is bothering you that you should really be looking after?
Check out the values worksheet here.
Or go deeper and get the book.
Or ping me about how coaching might help.
Lior Locher 
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