Two Companies, Two Outcomes
Imagine this: Two companies, both blindsided by the same unexpected crisis.
At Company A, the team jumps into action. Ideas fly, solutions are tested, and setbacks are met with quick adjustments. Employees speak up without hesitation, challenge each other’s thinking, and problem-solve in real time. Within days, they’re back on track.
At Company B? Silence. People hesitate, second-guessing themselves before speaking up. No one wants to be the one with the “wrong” answer. Mistakes get covered up, fingers start pointing, and progress grinds to a halt. Frustration builds, morale plummets, and the company struggles to recover.
The difference? Psychological safety.
Psychological Safety Is Not About Being “Nice”
“Psychological safety isn’t about being nice. It’s about giving candid feedback, openly admitting mistakes, and learning from each other.”
– Dr. Amy Edmondson
A lot of leaders hear “psychological safety” and assume it means creating a warm and fuzzy, conflict-free workplace. But that’s not it at all. In reality, psychological safety is what allows teams to perform at their absolute best. It’s about building an environment where people feel comfortable enough to:
- Take risks without fearing backlash
- Own up to mistakes and learn from them
- Challenge ideas—even if they go against the grain
- Speak openly without worrying about consequences
Dr. Amy Edmondson, the Harvard professor who is synonymous with the term, describes psychological safety as a team’s ability to take risks without feeling insecure or embarrassed.
Google’s Project Aristotle study found that it’s the single most important factor in building high-performing teams—more critical than talent or experience.
Beginning to see why it’s essential to understand what psychological safety truly is—and how to cultivate it effectively.
It’s not about making work comfortable. It’s about making discomfort productive. When people trust that they won’t be punished for speaking up, they stop playing it safe—and start delivering their best work.
Why Most Leaders Get It Wrong
Even the best leaders can accidentally kill psychological safety without realizing it. Here’s how it often happens:
- Getting defensive when hearing feedback—If employees think you can’t handle criticism, they’ll stop giving it.
- Shutting down new ideas too quickly—People won’t offer creative solutions if they know they’ll be dismissed.
- Blaming individuals for mistakes—If messing up gets you called out instead of supported, people will start hiding their errors.
- Obsessing over short-term wins—If the focus is only on immediate results, teams won’t take the risks needed for big breakthroughs.
Psychological safety doesn’t mean lowering the bar or avoiding accountability. It means building a space where people can bring their best ideas forward—even when the stakes are high.
The “Leader’s Mirror” Test
Curious if you’re creating a psychologically safe environment? Ask yourself:
- When was the last time a team member openly disagreed with me?
- What happens when mistakes occur—do we problem-solve or start pointing fingers?
- Do my meetings spark real discussions, or are they just status updates?
Three Essential Questions for Your Team
Want to know how your employees really feel? Ask them:
- What’s a challenge in your role that you don’t feel comfortable bringing up?
- When was the last time you hesitated to share an idea? Why?
- What’s one thing I can do to make you feel more heard?
Do you want to cultivate a team culture where psychological safety fuels high performance?
Our tailored Team Development programs can help build trust, collaboration, and lasting impact. Share your team’s needs, and our expert coaches will design workshops that fit your culture. Need something custom? Let’s craft the perfect program together!
You might think you’re fostering psychological safety—but you may be unknowingly shutting it down? In our next blog, Leadership on Trial: Do Your Behaviors Build or Break Psychological Safety?, we’ll uncover the hidden signals leaders send that either create a culture of trust or make employees too afraid to speak up. Stay tuned!