This month, we focus on a cornerstone of high-performing teams and transformative leadership: psychological safety. In a world where uncertainty and complexity are the norm, creating environments where individuals feel safe to speak up, take risks, and be themselves is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity.
Psychological safety, as defined by Amy Edmondson, Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at Harvard Business School, is “a shared belief that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking.” In her groundbreaking book, The Fearless Organization, Edmondson emphasizes that psychological safety is not about being nice or avoiding conflict. Rather, it’s about fostering a culture where people feel empowered to share ideas, ask questions, and admit mistakes without fear of embarrassment, rejection, or punishment.
When psychological safety is present, teams thrive. They innovate more effectively, learn from failures, and collaborate with trust and openness. Edmondson’s research shows that psychological safety is a key driver of performance, especially in environments that require creativity, adaptability, and continuous learning.
Google’s Project Aristotle, a multi-year study on team effectiveness, underscores the critical role of psychological safety in high-performing teams. The study, which analyzed hundreds of teams across the company, found that the most important factor distinguishing successful teams was not individual talent, seniority, or even clear goals—it was psychological safety. Teams, where members felt safe to take risks, share ideas, and be vulnerable, outperformed others consistently.
As highlighted in The New York Times article, What Google Learned From Its Quest to Build the Perfect Team, Google discovered that the best teams were those where everyone had an equal voice and where interpersonal trust was high. For more on Google’s findings, you can explore their Guide to Understanding Team Effectiveness.
But how do we build psychological safety? Timothy Clark, author of The 4 Stages of Psychological Safety, provides a practical framework for understanding and cultivating this critical dynamic. According to Clark, psychological safety is not a binary state but a progression through four stages:
- Inclusion Safety: At this foundational stage, individuals feel accepted and valued for who they are. They believe they belong and are treated with dignity and respect.
- Learner Safety: This stage encourages curiosity and experimentation. Team members feel safe to ask questions, make mistakes, and learn without fear of judgment.
- Contributor Safety: Here, individuals feel confident to contribute their skills and ideas. They believe their input matters and that they can make a meaningful impact.
- Challenger Safety: The highest stage of psychological safety, this is where individuals feel safe to challenge the status quo, voice dissenting opinions, and drive change without fear of retribution.
Clark’s framework reminds us that psychological safety is not a one-time achievement but an ongoing process. It requires intentional effort from all team members, whatever their roles, to create and sustain an environment where people can move through these stages and reach their full potential.
Reflections for Leaders:
– How are you fostering inclusion safety within your team? Are there individuals who may feel excluded or undervalued?
– Are you creating space for learner safety, where mistakes are seen as opportunities for growth rather than failures?
– How can you encourage contributor safety, ensuring that everyone feels their voice is heard and valued?
– Are you open to challenger safety, where team members feel empowered to question assumptions and propose new ideas?
As leaders, we have the power to shape the cultures we lead. By prioritizing psychological safety, we not only unlock the potential of our teams but also create organizations where people can thrive, innovate, and achieve remarkable outcomes.
Call to Action:
I encourage you to reflect on your own leadership practices and team dynamics. Where can you take steps to enhance psychological safety?