Psychological Safety is the Key to a Thriving Team Culture
It is not just a buzzword…
It’s a crucial factor in team success and a cornerstone of a healthy organizational culture.
And it is the feeling the individuals on your team have that they won’t be punished or humiliated for sharing their ideas, concerns, or mistakes.
A lack of psychological safety = crickets in your meetings…
As a leader, if there is an elephant in the room, you want your people to name it so together you can tame it!
And that only happens when your people feel safe to share their fears and challenges and ideas.
When team members feel safe to express themselves, they’re more likely to contribute fully, admit their failures, and share new ideas. In fact, research by Google’s Project Aristotle found that the number one predictor of high-performing teams was psychological safety.
But creating an environment where people feel this level of safety is a significant challenge –
And particularly so in today’s hybrid and remote work settings…
Without psychological safety, teams hold back their ideas or concerns out of fear of negative repercussions. This not only stifles creativity but also hampers overall team performance. So fostering psychological safety is not just beneficial, it’s essential for any leader aiming to cultivate a thriving, innovative, and engaged team.
Research has shown there are four critical areas of focus for leaders to help build and strengthen psychological safety on their teams, whether working remotely or in person.
These four areas of focus for psychological safety, when implemented effectively, will not only help create a safer environment for your team but will also empower your people to be more engaged as Winning Teammates!
Key Focus Area 1-
Normalize Mistakes as Learning Opportunities
The most innovative teams embrace mistakes as opportunities for growth.
Leaders often overlook the power of reframing mistakes, yet this is one of the most effective ways to foster psychological safety.
When team members feel that making a mistake could lead to punishment or embarrassment, they become risk-averse, avoiding situations where they might fail. This fear of failure can cripple innovation and prevent the team from reaching its full potential.
To successfully implement this step, start by openly acknowledging that mistakes are a natural part of the learning process. Share your own mistakes with the team, and discuss what you’ve learned from them. This vulnerability from a leader sets the tone that it’s okay to be human, and it encourages team members to adopt a similar mindset. When mistakes do happen, approach them as valuable feedback and an opportunity to improve processes or strategies.
By framing errors as part of the journey toward success, you not only reduce the fear of failure but also promote a culture of continuous learning and improvement.
In practice, this might look like setting aside time in meetings to discuss lessons learned from recent projects, highlighting what didn’t go as planned and what can be done differently in the future. Over time, this approach will encourage team members to take calculated risks, knowing that even if they stumble, they will be supported and have the opportunity to learn and grow.
Key Focus Area 2–
Encourage Open Communication and Diverse Perspectives
The best ideas emerge when all voices are heard.
Psychological safety thrives in environments where open communication is encouraged and diverse perspectives are valued. However, fostering such an environment requires more than just inviting feedback; it involves actively seeking out and appreciating the diverse opinions and ideas that team members bring to the table.
To enhance this, create a culture where every team member feels their input is valued, regardless of their role or experience level. Start by asking open-ended questions in meetings, such as “What are we missing?” or “Does anyone have a different perspective on this?” These questions signal that you’re not just open to feedback but are actively seeking it.
When someone does share an idea or concern, respond with gratitude and curiosity rather than defensiveness, even if the feedback is critical. This not only shows respect for the individual’s contribution but also encourages others to speak up.
It’s also crucial to be mindful of how you react when opinions differ from your own. If a team member suggests something that challenges the status quo, view it as an opportunity for deeper discussion rather than a threat to your authority. By embracing and exploring differing viewpoints, you create an environment where innovative solutions can emerge, and the team’s collective intelligence is leveraged to its fullest extent.
Key Focus Area 3-
Set Clear Norms and Expectations for Team Behavior
Clarity in expectations fosters security and trust within a team.
One of the foundational elements of psychological safety is clarity—team members need to understand what is expected of them and how they are expected to behave. Without clear norms and expectations, uncertainty can breed anxiety and inhibit participation.
To implement this effectively, work with your team to establish explicit norms for communication, decision-making, and problem-solving. This could involve setting guidelines for how feedback should be given and received, or agreeing on how to handle disagreements productively. These norms should be developed collaboratively, allowing team members to voice their needs and concerns.
For example, during a team meeting, you could discuss questions like, “What do we expect from each other when a mistake is made?” or “How do we want to handle feedback and critique?”
Once these norms are established, revisit them regularly and be open to making adjustments as the team evolves. This process of co-creating and refining norms not only helps build a shared understanding but also reinforces the message that the team’s well-being and psychological safety are priorities.
By setting and maintaining clear expectations, you create a stable environment where team members know what to expect from each other and from you. This predictability reduces anxiety and fosters a sense of trust, enabling team members to focus more on their work and less on navigating interpersonal dynamics.
Key Focus Area 4-
Be an Example of Vulnerability and Empathy
Authentic leadership paves the way for genuine connections and a safer team environment.
Leaders set the tone for psychological safety by modeling vulnerability and empathy. When leaders are willing to show their own humanity—whether by admitting they don’t have all the answers or by sharing their own challenges—they signal to their team that it’s okay to do the same. This openness fosters a deeper connection within the team and creates a space where people feel safe to be themselves.
To practice this, start by being transparent about your own uncertainties and challenges. For instance, if you’re navigating a particularly complex decision, share your thought process with the team and invite them to contribute their perspectives. This not only demystifies decision-making but also empowers the team to engage more fully.
Empathy is another critical component. Pay close attention to the emotional undercurrents within your team and address them with sensitivity.
If a team member seems withdrawn or hesitant to speak up, take the time to check in with them privately. Ask how they’re feeling about the team’s dynamics and whether there’s anything that could be done to make them feel more comfortable. This kind of proactive, empathetic leadership demonstrates care and concern, which are fundamental to building trust and psychological safety.
Incorporating vulnerability and empathy into your leadership style won’t just make you more relatable; it will also encourage your team to engage more authentically and bring their whole selves to work. Over time, this builds a stronger, more resilient team that’s better equipped to handle challenges and capitalize on opportunities.
Take Meaningful Steps to Strengthen Team Trust
Psychological safety is not a luxury; it’s a necessity for teams that want to thrive.
By normalizing mistakes as learning opportunities, encouraging open communication, setting clear norms, and leading with vulnerability and empathy, you can create a team culture where everyone feels safe to contribute their best ideas and efforts.
Building psychological safety is essential for team success, but it requires more than just individual efforts. It necessitates intentional and structured opportunities for team members to bond, collaborate, and reinforce their shared goals. Team building activities, often misunderstood as mere social events, are actually powerful tools that strengthen relationships and foster empathy—key components of psychological safety.
By breaking down barriers and encouraging collaboration in a low-stakes environment, team building events help build trust, leading to more open communication and accountability in the workplace.
Similarly, designing effective team meetings, when used strategically, can reinforce collaboration and psychological safety. Rather than being just forums for information sharing, meetings should be opportunities for meaningful dialogue, problem-solving, and connection-building. Encouraging participation, rotating leadership roles, and incorporating moments of recognition can make meetings a space where diverse ideas are welcomed and everyone feels valued.
Together, team building and well-structured meetings create a synergistic effect that strengthens psychological safety, fosters deeper connections, and enhances team collaboration. By prioritizing these practices, leaders can create an environment where team members feel safe, valued, and motivated to contribute their best
If you’re ready to take your team’s performance to the next level, consider reaching out to Sean Glaze.
As an experienced and interactive speaker and facilitator, Sean can help you create a memorable and impactful professional development day that empowers your team to succeed.
Don’t leave your team’s potential untapped—take action today and make psychological safety the foundation of your team’s success…
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Sean Glaze is an engaging team building speaker and interactive facilitator who helps organizations develop more effective leaders and build more positive and profitable workplace cultures.
Sean is the author of four books, The Unexpected Leader, Rapid Teamwork, The 10 Commandments of Winning Teammates, and Staying Coachable – each one an entertaining parable with powerful take-aways for team growth and leadership!
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