Why culture must be managed as an ecosystem: PSI founder Gina Battye explains all
Today at the Psychological Safety Institute (PSI), we’re putting founder Gina Battye in the hot seat. We wanted to hear from her directly about the mission she’s on, her big ideas around workplace culture, and what makes PSI’s “Five Levels” approach so powerful.
Gina, in 2024 you wrote your book The Authentic Organization. What motivated you to write it?
I did indeed, and I’m super proud of the book. It helped me get my ideas in order, and it’s a great vehicle for sharing them too. You see, organizational culture is something that lots of people talk about today, both in industry and in the world of consultancy, but it’s often misunderstood and rarely actionable. My view was shaped initially by being an employee and a team-mate, and that’s inspired a different perspective.
I saw first-hand how detrimental it can be, to both performance and morale, when a culture goes toxic. And I realised that the workplace is essentially an ecosystem – there are all kinds of dynamics at play, and many ‘levels’ of culture. I wrote the book as a very practical guide.
And the main point you want people to come away with?
There’s too much hot air on this topic and I wanted to bring some clarity for leaders approaching transformation with lots at stake. I wanted them to understand that culture change isn’t a “one and done” intervention; it’s a journey that touches on every part of that ecosystem, and done right, the rewards can be huge.
Tell us more about what makes an organization “Authentic”?
Authenticity starts with psychological safety, and I’m bringing new meaning and relevance to this term. Through my personal experiences, my research, and my culture work, I’ve learned that psychological safety can be the catalyst for dramatic change. It’s so much more than a buzzword. Often people think it’s about needing safety so that employees can “speak up” and voice concerns, or about employee wellbeing. But they’re the outcomes, and they don’t happen by accident.
Authentic Organizations are the ones that really invest in helping people work better together. It’s not just about superficial skills – they see things like emotional intelligence and communication as core capabilities that need to be designed in. They actively encourage self-awareness, because when people understand how they show up and how they affect others, everything works better. And they make space for curiosity and creativity, because that’s where you get smarter ways of working, bolder innovation, and ultimately, new opportunities for growth.
When you have psychological safety as the foundation, this authenticity is the natural outcome. Think ideas bubbling up, and positive energy everyone can feel. Think more accountability and better decision-making. This is powerful stuff! Frankly, it’s what business leaders dream of.
Is that why you founded the Psychological Safety Institute?
It was important to me to set up the Institute because we have a big mission here to create safer workplaces for everyone, globally. We’re bringing a new way of thinking to industry. I want people to understand what psychological safety actually is, and then empower them with strategies, frameworks, activities to impact directly on teams, communication and the organization as a whole. This is informed by research we’re doing with the University of Cambridge. We’re bringing a new level of rigor and practicality to culture change work.
So what does this mean for culture change in practice? What’s different about this approach?
The first thing is that we think of psychological safety as fluid; it’s situational and contextual, not a quick fix. Our “Five Levels” approach lets us unpick all the various influences and dynamics.
Let’s go back to that idea of the ecosystem. There’s a reason we often refer to the natural world as a metaphor: culture is a system and it’s complex. What we are doing is like nurturing a habitat. We’re looking to create all the right conditions for a healthy workplace culture, for better relationships, and ultimately, better business. In truth, that means simplistic solutions don’t work. It’s a commitment, a journey, and very much worth the time and effort.
Our Five Levels of Culture framework gives us a way in. We use it to diagnose the current situation, identify the areas that need work, and embed the changes that matter. We fix the system, not the people; we treat psychological safety as an operating model not a behavioral initiative.
What makes businesses get in touch with PSI for help?
Sometimes it’s because something’s clearly not working. Perhaps they’ve learnt that there is bullying or toxic behavior. Maybe they have productivity issues, teamwork challenges, or accountability gaps. Other times, it’s when they are going through big change – like a restructure that might have been instigated for a number of reasons. And while restructures are challenging, the most enlightened leaders recognize that they are also massive opportunities. This is a chance to set new foundations – to create that new ecosystem, so that everybody can thrive.
What’s your favourite part of the job?
I think what’s really exciting about the work we do is that we simply don’t know the answers at the start. The diagnosis stage is critical. And often organizations assume that a culture problem has a particular cause, when it’s actually something else altogether. So initially, we’re like detectives, or maybe doctors. We’re getting to the root cause. And the most rewarding part is identifying the parts that need solving – because then we know we can drive real change.
Essentially, we’re redesigning organizations from the ground up in a very intentional and human way. I love helping businesses to perform better, to solve issues that might have been holding them back for years. But most of all, I love seeing how much happier their people become when things change.
Thanks Gina! And finally, where can people learn more about working with PSI?
Our Culture Change Program is our gold-standard offering for large, forward-thinking organizations. You can learn more about the Program here.
And for more on our Five Levels of Culture framework, this article is a good place to start.
Going through a Restructure? Read this.
Follow Gina Battye on LinkedIn
For Gina’s latest thoughts on all things workplace culture, make sure you follow her on LinkedIn.
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Into the Jungle is our must-read monthly newsletter, where Gina shares real stories from deep in the thickets of culture change work in large organizations. Subscribe here.
Order The Authentic Organization book
For a deeper dive, get a copy of Gina’s book, The Authentic Organization.
Here’s one reader’s review:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“A transformative guide to creating environments where people feel safe, seen, and empowered to be themselves. Gina offers a step-by-step approach to building inclusive, high-performing teams. You’ll find tools for better communication, frameworks for cultural change, and practical strategies for helping individuals bring their full selves to work – without fear or filter. This is more than a leadership book, it’s a cultural blueprint for creating a workplace where people (and ideas) thrive.”