How to Create Safer, Higher-Performing Teams with Tom Geraghty
“So many ‘transformations’ are done to people, not with them. That’s classic ‘power over’. If you want it to work, you need ‘power to’ - people involved in solving the problem"
In this episode, Chris and Mike are joined by Tom Geraghty, co-founder of Psych Safety and an authority on creating safer, high-performing, inclusive workplaces.
Tom explains what psychological safety actually means: a shared belief that it’s safe to take interpersonal risks—to ask questions, admit mistakes, challenge decisions, and share bad news without fear of humiliation or punishment. He connects this to classic disasters (like Challenger, Tenerife, and corporate scandals) where people saw the issues but didn’t feel safe enough to speak up.
Drawing on his journey from ecologist to CTO/CIO to psychological safety specialist, Tom shares how a toxic “screamy, shouty” boss taught him that when fear is high, the safest thing to do is nothing—and that kills performance, innovation, and honest reporting. He references thinkers like Deming and Mary Parker Follett, unpacking the difference between “power over” (change done to people) and “power to” (equipping people to help shape and own the change).
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Author
“Chris Argent isn’t here to play by finance’s old rulebook - he’s here to rewrite it.” From challenging outdated corporate thinking to rallying finance leaders around a more connected, adaptable future, the founder of GENCFO is leading a quiet revolution in how CFOs and finance leadership work, think, and influence. Chris Argent, founder of GENCFO, is a finance leader redefining the role beyond business partnering. A self-described “reluctant accountant,” he’s built a global community for progressive accounting and finance leaders who value connection over competition and action over tradition. Chris believes the greatest risk to the profession is clinging to outdated norms, and that mindset and adaptability outpace any technological change. His work champions leaders who turn new ideas into real-world change, blending people-centred strategies with new ways of working and technology. In conversations, he challenges, provokes, and inspires - proving that the future of finance belongs to those ready to lead it together.