Creating a Psychologically Safe Workplace: A Guide for Leaders
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We spend roughly one-third of our lives at work—about 90,000 hours—so feeling good in the workplace matters more than ever. The phrase "team psychological safety" was first used in the 1990s by Amy C. Edmondson, a professor at Harvard Business School, to characterize workplaces where openness is valued and where workers can express their opinions without worrying about facing consequences. McKinsey explains psychological safety as feeling safe to take interpersonal risks, to speak up, to disagree openly, to surface concerns without fear of negative repercussions or pressure to sugarcoat bad news.
How it matters?
Lack of fostering a culture where team members feel a sense of safety and willingness to speak has several consequences. Without psychological safety, behaviours like asking for help, admitting errors, and seeking feedback are perceived as threats to one’s self-worth. As a result, employees become reluctant to disclose mistakes
or request assistance, even when doing so could benefit the entire team or organization. This reluctance stifles collaboration hindering knowledge sharing and ultimately weakens overall performance and growth.
On the contrary, having an environment where team members who feel psychologically safe are more motivated and involved because they believe their opinions count and that they can voice their opinions without worrying about consequences. Second, it can improve decision-making since people are more at ease sharing their thoughts and worries, which frequently results in a wider variety of viewpoints being heard and considered. Third, because team members are at ease admitting their errors and growing from them, it can promote a culture of ongoing learning and development.
Burnout is a serious problem that impacts people's health and well-being, productivity, and capacity for innovation in both individuals and organizations as well as in society at large. Acknowledging the role of psychological safety helps us to recognize that burnout is preventable, and it is not an individual’s responsibility to simply be more resilient. It is a symptom or result of the structure and operation of organizations. It can be avoided in part by creating a more psychologically safe atmosphere.
Edmundson rightly remarks that uncertainty and interdependence are attributes of most work today. And, therefore, without an ability to be candid, to ask for help, to share mistakes, it won’t be very likely that things done.
Is your team psychologically safe at your organization?
Many leaders probably have this question on their minds. To gauge the perception of psychological safety, Edmondson has created a straightforward seven-item survey. You can determine how psychologically safe someone feels by looking at how they respond to these questions:
1. If you make a mistake on this team, it is not held against you.
2. Members of this team can bring up problems and tough issues.
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3. People on this team sometimes accept others for being different.
4. It is safe to take a risk on this team.
5. It isn’t difficult to ask other members of this team for help.
6. No one on this team would deliberately act in a way that undermines my efforts.
7. Working with members of this team, my unique skills and talents are valued and utilized.
Here are four steps to create a psychological safety for high performing teams, as shared by Amy Edmundson.
- Encourage teams to bond through day-to-day tasks
- Normalise opportunities to learn from mistakes
- Ensure that all people feel seen
- Seek input with humility and openness.
Building a psychologically safe environment involves establishing clear norms, promoting open communication, and practicing active listening. Leaders should show genuine gratitude and humility when people speak up. By doing so, you encourage a culture of shared ideas, mutual support, and continuous learning—a workplace where employees can thrive. After all, with so much of our lives spent on the job, it’s only fitting that we cultivate spaces where people feel safe to contribute their best selves.
Reference:
Founder & Principal Architect / Group Process Facilitator / Certified Leadership Coach / Lean Six Sigma Black Belt / Thomas International PPA Certified / Harrison Assessments HATS certified / Competency Management
2 周One of the 3 major dimensions of AQai - Adaptability Assessments & Coaching 's assessment report talks about "Environment". This dimension measures the Company Support and Work Environment and provides actionable insights for enhancing the same.??