3 Things I Thought Were Crucial in Team Building, But Here's What Actually Drives Engagement

For many years, I've dedicated my professional career to helping leaders build high-performing teams. Early on, I, like many others, believed the key ingredients were shared goals, effective communication, and trust. While these elements are really important, my perspective has shifted. I've found that something even more fundamental fuels team engagement.

A sense of psychological safety.

The Engagement Deficit - Why Traditional Team Building Falls Short

Let's face it. Many teams really struggle with engagement (we could say it's normal, in fact). A 2022 Gallup report found that only 34% of employees are engaged. This disengagement translates to many problems – decreased productivity, higher turnover, and a lack of innovation. So, why are traditional team-building exercises often falling short?

Here are some reasons I've observed:

• Focus on Activities, Not Authenticity - Team-building retreats and ropes courses can be fun but often feel forced and inauthentic. They may create temporary camaraderie but don't necessarily translate into lasting trust or vulnerability within the team.
• Emphasis on Goals Over People - A relentless focus on achieving objectives can leave little room for fostering genuine connections between team members. This can create a pressure cooker environment where individuals hesitate to share ideas or admit mistakes.
• One-Size-Fits-All Approach - Team-building strategies often take a generic approach, failing to consider each team member's unique personality, working style, and needs.

Psychological Safety - The Missing Puzzle Piece

So, what's the missing piece? In my experience, it's psychological safety. This concept, introduced by Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson, describes a team environment where individuals feel safe taking risks, sharing ideas, and admitting mistakes without fear of negative consequences. It's the foundation for true collaboration and innovation.

Research by Edmondson and others shows a clear link between psychological safety and team performance. A study published in the Harvard Business Review found that teams with high psychological safety reported higher levels of innovation, learning, and engagement.

Building Psychological Safety - A 7-Step Approach

Creating a psychologically safe team environment isn't about a one-time intervention. It's an ongoing process that requires consistent effort from leaders. Here are seven steps I've found effective in my work:

1. Model Vulnerability: Leaders set the tone. By openly sharing their own mistakes and uncertainties, leaders demonstrate that it's okay to be imperfect within the team.
2. Emphasise Learning Over Performance: Shift the focus from achieving perfect results to embracing opportunities for learning and growth. Encourage team members to experiment, iterate, and learn from their mistakes.
3. Celebrate Diverse Perspectives: Psychological safety thrives on various voices and perspectives. Encourage team members to challenge assumptions, respectfully disagree, and offer alternative viewpoints.
4. Focus on "We" Over "Me": Cultivate a culture of collective ownership and shared success. Recognise individual contributions and emphasise teamwork's importance in achieving goals.
5. Provide Clear Roles and Expectations: Ambiguity can breed insecurity. Clearly define roles, responsibilities, and expectations for each team member. This allows individuals to feel confident in their contributions.
6. Offer Regular Feedback: Create a culture of continuous feedback, both positive and constructive. Feedback should be specific, actionable, and delivered in a supportive manner.
7. Hold Leaders Accountable: Psychological safety can't exist if leaders create a climate of fear or blame. Hold leaders accountable for fostering a safe and respectful environment for everyone.

Why Psychological Safety Matters

Building a psychologically safe team isn't easy, but the rewards are significant. When team members feel safe taking risks, sharing ideas, and learning from mistakes, they become more engaged, innovative, and productive. In today's competitive business environment, fostering psychological safety is no longer a luxury; it's necessary for any team that wants to thrive.

Beyond the Checklist - Building a Culture of Trust

These seven steps provide a simple framework (to get started), but building psychological safety goes beyond following a checklist. It requires a fundamental shift in how leaders approach team dynamics. It's about creating a culture of trust where individuals feel valued, respected, and supported. This trust doesn't happen overnight, but it's built through consistent actions and behaviours.

Unlocking the Full Potential of Your Team

By prioritising psychological safety, leaders can unlock the full potential of their teams. This approach fosters an environment where individuals feel empowered to contribute their best selves, leading to greater innovation, engagement, and ultimately, business success. Remember, it's not just about achieving goals – it's about creating a space where people can thrive.

Let me share a real-world example of how prioritising psychological safety can transform a team. I recently worked with a leadership team at a fast-growing tech company. They were experiencing high turnover and a lack of innovation within their product development department.

After discussions and assessments, it became clear that psychological safety was lacking. The team environment was dominated by a fear of failure, leading to individuals withholding ideas and playing it safe.

We implemented the seven-step approach outlined above. The leadership team began by openly discussing their own challenges and uncertainties. They encouraged healthy debate and diverse perspectives during meetings. They also implemented a system of regular, constructive feedback to help team members learn and grow.

The results were impressive. Within a year, employee turnover dropped significantly. The team also saw a surge in new ideas and successful product launches. The team members reported feeling more engaged, valued, and confident.

Building a Future of Psychological Safety

For a good reason, psychological safety is gaining traction. As the pace of change accelerates and innovation becomes even more critical, creating safe spaces for collaboration and risk-taking will be essential for organisational success.

Leaders prioritising psychological safety will be well-positioned to attract and retain top talent, foster a culture of continuous learning, and ultimately drive superior business results.

This isn't a fad. It's a fundamental shift in how we approach team dynamics. By prioritising psychological safety, leaders can build high-performing, resilient, and adaptable teams in the face of constant change.

Invest in your people, create a safe space for them to thrive, and watch your team and your business unlock it's potential.