Psychological Safety: Can you disagree and not experience negative consequences?

In my career, I remember a particular job where my sense of safety felt tenuous at best. I often hesitated before speaking up, carefully assessing who was in the room to decide if it was worth sharing a new or contrary idea.

Why?

Well, experiences with certain leaders and colleagues burned me in the past, lowering my appetite for risk-taking. Overt reactions like that won’t work, we tried, and covert actions like being left off emails post-meeting eventually took their toll.? Eventually, my contributions decreased because I just didn’t feel safe.?

Is the kind of treatment that happened to me becoming more common??

From my perspective, concerns about feeling safe expressing ideas are increasingly frequent among leaders and staff I consult with, but there’s no simple answer as to why. It’s likely that stress, technological shifts, and political tensions all contribute to these perceptions.

But I’m a solutions-oriented person, and these challenges only reinforce the importance of a concept that provides a solution: psychological safety.

Coined by Harvard Business Professor Amy Edmondson, psychological safety is "a shared belief held by team members that it’s OK to take risks, to express their ideas and concerns, to speak up with questions, and to admit mistakes—all without fear of negative consequences.”

What does that look like in practice? In a piece for Harvard Business Review, Edmondson outlined the tangible indicators of psychological safety:

• Permission to Speak: Employees feel comfortable voicing their opinions, even if they differ.
• Open Exchange: Staff can share new ideas or challenge existing ones without fear of negative consequences.
• Risk-Taking Encouraged: Mistakes are viewed as learning opportunities, not reasons for punishment.
• Inclusive Environment: Diverse perspectives are sought out, not discouraged.

Leaders, it’s time to ask yourself: How psychologically safe is your team? Do employees feel comfortable disagreeing with you? Are they able to express unconventional ideas without fear of backlash??

If the answer to those questions was “no” or “not always,” it’s time to change. Psychological safety could be the key to unlocking your organization’s next big innovation.

Of course, it’s easier said than done. So, if you’re feeling stuck, contact me for help with one-on-one chats, customized team retreats, and organizational workshops to give your staff the foundation they need to feel safe.

#psychological safety #executivecoaching #employee engagement Kimberly Ruth Penharlow Kimberly Penharlow Consulting