Pathway

Building a Healthy and Thriving Speak-Up Culture

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Self-paced
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Executive

A Blend Education Executive Pathway with Stephen Shedletzky

Why does speak-up culture matter for leaders?

Silence is rarely neutral inside organizations. When people hold back concerns, questions, or dissenting views, risk grows quietly in the background.

Strong leaders know this. Yet many organisations still struggle to build cultures where people feel it is both psychologically safe – and worth it – to speak up.

This executive leadership course brings senior leaders together to address that challenge directly.

As part of Blend Education, Building a Healthy and Thriving Speak-Up Culture with Stephen (Shed) Shedletzky is a focused two-part executive learning pathway designed for leaders who want to move beyond theory and intentionally shape a culture where people contribute openly.

You will explore the leadership behaviours that influence silence and voice, and develop practical habits that strengthen psychological safety leadership across your organisation.

Course structure

01
Part 1: Live Kick-Off

The Leadership Cost of Silence

  • Why silence is a natural human default (fear, hierarchy, and the bystander effect)

  • The hidden organizational costs of unspoken concerns

  • What defines a true speak-up culture

  • The leadership behaviours that either reinforce silence or invite contribution

  • Free to attend

 
This 30-minute session, hosted via LinkedIn live, sets the foundation for the course, creating a shared understanding of the dynamics that shape psychological safety at work.
02
Part 2: Self-paced course

Three weeks between sessions | 27 March – 17 April

Following the live conversation, participants complete a series of short, focused learning modules designed for busy executives.

Through real-world case studies and practical reflection, you will:

  • Understand the psychology behind silence and voice

  • Examine moments where leadership responses shaped organisational culture

  • Reflect on the signals your leadership sends

  • Identify friction points where people may hesitate to speak up

  • Develop leadership habits that make it both safe and worthwhile for people to contribute

 

The course is structured to move from awareness to action, helping leaders embed behaviours that strengthen speak-up culture and psychological safety leadership.

What to expect

This pathway combines:

  • A live executive conversation
  • A self-paced online course completed between sessions

Together, they provide both the strategic lens and the practical tools required to build a healthy speak-up culture.

Participants will:

Join a closed cohort of senior leaders

Learn directly from Stephen Shedletzky’s work on courageous leadership and speak-up cultures

Explore the hidden operational risks of silence

Gain practical language, habits, and leadership interventions you can apply immediately

About Stephen Shedletzky

Stephen “Shed” Shedletzky is a globally recognised leadership speaker and expert on courageous leadership and speak-up cultures.

Through his work with leaders and organisations around the world, Shed focuses on helping leaders build cultures where people feel it is both psychologically safe and worth it to speak up.

His work explores the behaviours leaders must model to encourage voice, accountability, and trust across teams.

Two people collaborating together; one works at a laptop and one gestures with her hands.

Who this course is for

This pathway is designed for senior leaders responsible for shaping culture  and performance, including:

  • C-suite executives

  • SVPs and senior functional leaders

  • Business unit leaders and transformation leaders

It is particularly valuable for leaders navigating:

  • Complex organizational change

  • Cross-functional leadership teams

  • Environments where dissenting views are critical to good decisions

 

If you believe leadership shows up most clearly in moments of hesitation, challenge, or silence, this course is for you.

Membership unlocks every Blend Education pathway, plus access to a global network of senior leaders.

Leadership doesn't happen alone.