It’s not just a feel-good thing – creating a culture of psychological safety can be a determining factor in the success of your organization. This is particularly true during times of uncertainty, such as in today’s challenging environment.
What is Psychological Safety?
Amy C. Edmondson, Professor of Leadership and Management at Harvard’s Business School, defined psychological safety as “a shared belief by members of a team that the team is safe for interpersonal risk taking.” It’s the ability to speak up at work, without fearing embarrassment or retribution.
Why is Psychological Safety Important for Your Organization?
Recent studies from McKinsey, 2019-2021, found that organizations with a strong culture of psychological safety are more likely to have engaged employees, better collaboration and improved business performance. And Google’s Project Aristotle concluded that psychological safety was the most critical factor of five key dynamics that set successful teams apart from others.
In short, companies that prioritize psychological safety have greater likelihood of fostering high-performing teams than those that don’t.
Five Steps
As a leader, you can take actions to create a culture of psychological safety in your organization:
- Lead by example with an emphasis on building trust: Model the behaviors you want to see in your team. This includes listening, being empathetic, and demonstrating openness and vulnerability with respect to your own shortcomings and mistakes. You will lay the foundation for an environment in which others feel safe to display authenticity.
- Encourage open communication and healthy debate: Support your team in expressing opinions, asking questions, and bringing up concerns without fear of negative consequences. Teams that engage in healthy debate and disagreements are more likely to produce better outcomes.
- Actively listen and respond to diverse perspectives with empathy: By demonstrating active listening and empathy, you will create an environment where people feel seen, valued, and heard. Team members will be more likely to speak up when they feel their unique perspectives are appreciated.
- Reward risk-taking and learning: When employees take risks and make mistakes, it’s important to recognize their efforts and encourage learning. Celebrate successes and failures as learning opportunities. This will create a sense of camaraderie and a culture of continuous improvement.
- Demonstrate a growth mindset: Leaders who invest in personal and professional development for themselves and their teams exhibit a commitment to self-improvement, skill-building, and opportunities for advancement. This can create a sense of belonging and foster psychological safety, while at the same time promoting ongoing enrichment of your team.
Creating a culture of psychological safety isn’t something that will happen overnight. Rather, it will be a continuous effort that requires commitment and dedication. By taking the steps above, you can begin building the foundation for a more engaged, adaptable, higher performing team. In turn, this will lead to an organizational culture that promotes innovation and growth, and will lead to better outcomes, even in the face of uncertainty.
