Psychological Safety: Regulate Before You Lead

We’ve all heard the buzzword. "Psychological safety" is written into corporate values, discussed in town halls, and expected to magically appear after a single training session or an HR mandate. But if the open-door policies are all in place, why do we still hesitate to speak up? Why do we take on tasks beyond our capacity because "it's rude to say no"? And why do so many leaders feel entirely drained trying to hold it all together?

Because true psychological safety cannot be mandated from a slide deck. It doesn't start in the boardroom - it starts in the body.
In this highly practical, no-nonsense session, we will strip away the corporate jargon and look at the real foundation of human relations. We will move beyond the illusion of perfect organizational conditions and dive into the biological and psychological mechanics of how we actually connect, communicate, and build trust in high-paced environments.

Agenda Highlights:

• Lightning Speeches
• Panel discussion
• Networking

1. Ewa Stec | Safety starts in the body - what mindfulness has to do with Psychological Safety at work
What exactly is psychological safety, and why is it the bedrock of every thriving team? It’s not about endless policies, structures, or corporate declarations. It’s the genuine space where we can speak up, make mistakes, and grow. But here’s the catch: creating it doesn't start in the boardroom – it starts in the body.
Stress is perfectly OK. It's a natural, evolutionary mechanism that kept us alive. The problem begins when our reptilian brain gets confused and reacts to a difficult email or a team conflict exactly as our ancestors reacted to a hungry tiger.
In this talk, I'll show you how this primal stress response affects our human relations at work, and why our ability to pause before we react – our emotional regulation – is the true foundation of a safe team culture*.*

About Ewa Stec – wellbeing and mindfulness trainer, certified MBSR practitioner and Well-being Performance Manager.
She runs corporate trainings in communication, emotional regulation and stress management, as well as individual sessions for parents navigating the daily overwhelm. She collaborates with Fundacja Nowe Przestrzenie, where psychological safety is one of the key topics. Founder of "Korzenie Uważności" (Roots of Mindfulness).

2. Kinga Bazior | The Inner Firewall: How to protect your psychological safety at work and in life.
When we hear about psychological safety, we usually think of HR training, procedures, and tasks for managers. We wait for the organization to create the perfect, sterile conditions for us to work in. But until that happens? We just muddle through in the so-called “comfortable zone of discomfort.” At work, we take on tasks that are beyond our capabilities because “it’s rude to say no,” and in our personal lives, we agree to arrangements that drain our energy, following scripts dictated by what is “expected.”
During this talk, we’ll flip the perspective and move from theory to hard-core practice #nofluff. We’ll look at inner psychological safety—the highest form of personal agency. Because if your sense of stability depends solely on external factors, that’s not safety. That’s vulnerability.
I’ll show you how to take back the wheel and stop being a passenger in your own life. No corporate jargon or beating around the bush.

About Kinga Bazior: Restoring Agency & Authentic Leadership| Psychological Safety & Neurodiversity Advocate | Mentor
I transform HR into Human Relations, cutting out corporate jargon in favor of authenticity and agency. As a multipotentialite with 9 years in the STEAM industry, I create solutions that actually serve people, not just spreadsheets. #nofluff
I help teams regain their agency and build psychological safety—because without trust, there are no results. I support neurodivergent brains in working in alignment with themselves and turn empty wellbeing slogans into a living culture of appreciation. As a mentor and trainer, I don’t force you into a mold—I support growth "your way," stepping in with hands-on workshops that move even the toughest topics forward.
Privately: Dog mom, traveler, book devourer and a dedicated foodie.

3. Paulina Oleś | Who keeps the keeper? Built for your team. Forgotten for yourself.
You've been told to create a safe environment for your team. Open door. Speak-up culture. Psychological safety. Tick, tick, tick.
But who does that for you?
This talk is for the people who put everyone else first and call it leadership. We'll get to the bottom of what actually builds trust in a team, what your feedback really does to the person sitting in front of you (or across the screen), and why the small daily choices you make matter more than any engagement initiative that ever lived and died on a slide deck.
And somewhere in between - the conversation most leadership talks quietly avoid: your own psychological safety. Cause how can you build a safe space from an unsafe place?
Science you'll remember and stories you'll recognise.
About Paulina Oleś | L&D Manager, Human ROI Advocate, Wellbeing for Leaders Trainer
Paulina is a psychologist, people manager, and trainer who has spent nearly a decade bridging the gap between psychology and corporate reality. With over 8 years in HR leading recruitment and L&D teams, she practices what she preaches, focusing on a servant leadership model where empathy, autonomy, and shared responsibility are at the core of success.
She is a fierce advocate for the Human ROI - the belief that we are the most important part of any system, and that neglecting our agency and resilience is simply the most expensive mistake an organization can make. As a certified Mental Toughness consultant and a Chief Wellbeing Officer, Paulina uses her background to move beyond typical corporate rituals. She focuses on building environments where first-line managers can lead with a human face, high emotional intelligence, and radical common sense.
In her work, Paulina combines her love for brain-friendly experimental learning with a psychologist’s insight into stress management and habits building. She believes that in an era of constant change, our most powerful tool is not a new process, but our own mindset. Whether she is designing wellbeing workshops or speaking on stage, her mission is simple: to stop the cycle of being a "corporate sponge" and start investing in the only asset that truly lasts - our own humanity.

Event Details:
Date: June 11th, 2026
Time: 5:45 PM - 8:45 PM
Location: ABB Office, ul. Starowiślna 13a, Kraków

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