What Most Leaders Get Wrong About Psychological Safety
Dear life amplifiers,
One of the greatest misunderstandings about psychological safety is that it means lowering performance standards, avoiding difficult conversations, or “wrapping teams in cotton wool.”
Why is that the case?
Well… first thing, first. Meaning let’s quickly clarify what Psychological Safety is so we all have the same understanding before we get to the tricky part about what it isn’t.
WHAT PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY IS
Coined by Amy Edmondson (1999), psychological safety refers to an environment where individuals feel safe to take interpersonal risks, sharing ideas, asking questions, making mistakes, and challenging assumptions without fear of punishment or embarrassment.
In a nutshell, psychological safety is an environment where people feel free to speak up, take risks, and show up as their true selves without fear of judgment or repercussions.
In a broader context, creating psychological safety is one of the five core traits of a High-Impact Leader. It is the foundation for high-impact teams and innovative workplaces.
WHAT PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY IS NOT
Most people, many leaders included, still believe that psychological safety means being nice, understanding, and accommodating. Avoiding conflict, disagreement, and competition and ensuring everyone gets along while shielding each other from challenges or risks.
As a result, a common and persistent misconception about psychological safety is that it requires lowering the bar, sidestepping tough conversations, or shielding teams from challenges.
In reality, it demands the opposite. It creates the conditions where teams tackle hard truths head-on, expose weaknesses without fear, and hold each other to the highest standards.
Psychological safety and accountability must coexist. High-performing teams balance open communication with rigorous execution.
The following matrix illustrates how teams can fall into four distinct zones, each with different dynamics:
A leader’s ultimate job is to elevate their team into the Learning Zone, where trust and accountability drive innovation and performance.
That said, different individuals, and even entire teams, often find themselves in different zones, requiring situational leadership to adjust both psychological safety and performance expectations accordingly.
STRATEGIES FOR THE DIFFERENT ZONES
? Apathy Zone (Low Safety, Low Standards) Employees disengage, protect themselves, and avoid effort, leading to stagnation.
?? Leaders must reignite engagement and purpose by fostering ownership and connection to meaningful work.
? Anxiety Zone (Low Safety, High Standards) People fear speaking up, avoid risks, and operate in survival mode, putting innovation and collaboration at risk.
?? Leaders need to reduce fear by encouraging open dialogue, valuing input, and normalizing failure as part of learning.
? Comfort Zone (High Safety, Low Standards) Teams are friendly and collegial but lack the challenge needed to achieve real progress.
?? Leaders must introduce productive tension, setting higher expectations while maintaining support.
? Learning Zone (High Safety, High Standards) The sweet spot where teams openly discuss challenges, take smart risks, and drive high performance.
?? The best leaders don’t just create a safe environment. They challenge, stretch, and empower their teams to take bold steps forward, knowing they will be supported through the process.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Psychological safety at work is not just a “nice to have”; it impacts the organization’s bottom line. Although it’s more important than ever, psychologically safe work environments are quite rare in practice.
High-Impact Leaders are those who serve as the architects of team culture, shaping the environment and setting the right tone for psychological safety to be fostered and developed.
If you want to find out more about Psychological Safety, feel free to join my free 1-hour LinkedIn Live workshop “How to create Psychological Safety as a Leader the Right Way” on March 27: https://www.dhirubhai.net/events/howtocreatepsychologicalsafetya7304817691121311746/theater/
You will hear about which strategies and techniques to use in which situations. Many examples, exercises, and more!
Wishing you a psychologically safe and stimulating week,
Andreas von der Heydt
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If you want to evolve into a high-impact leader, feel free to ping me on LinkedIn or visit my website. I′m an executive & leadership coach. Advisor to senior leaders and entrepreneurs. A former executive board member and leader at Amazon, Chewy, L’Oréal, REWE, and others.
#PsychologicalSafety #leader #leadership #impact #HighImpactLeader #HIP #AVDH #performance #success #team #manager #management
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5 小时前Great point. Safety is about growth, not just being nice.
Your success, my mission|10X Money Business & Development coach| Solution Provider in Meditation, Wealth, Health & Relationship|You tuber | Blogger | Podcaster | Textile Expert | Author | Book Appointment|
7 小时前?? Well articulated perspective
Investment Expert & Entrepreneurial Leader | Driving Growth & Profitability
8 小时前When psychological safety is mistaken for avoiding tension, teams lose out on the healthy debates that drive real progress. The best leaders cultivate environments where disagreement is encouraged, as long as it’s rooted in respect and shared goals.
Ceo & President & Founder
10 小时前Great read!