Musings | Psychological Saftey
“Psychological safety is a belief that one will not be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns or mistakes.”
Research tells us that high-performing teams have one thing in common - the presence of psychological safety. In psychologically safe environments, team members have the confidence to speak their mind, be creative and take a risk - without the fear of being chastised for it or having it be held against them.
Psychological safety is not simply being nice or soft, nor is it guaranteed support for your ideas. Still, it does create an energizing and candid environment where people can be honest and speak up.
Creating spaces where questions are welcomed, mistakes are learned from, and the sharing of ideas is encouraged is not always easy; it requires deliberate action. Check out the tips below (adapted from this Harvard Business Review article) to learn how to create psychologically safe spaces, and be sure to check out the noted resources for additional tips and information.
Approach conflict as a collaborator, not an adversary. Humans hate losing more than they love winning. Approach challenges with questions that seek to solve the problem, not place blame or create winners and losers in the situation. “How can we solve this together?” is a collaborative question that invites discussion, not an adversarial question that can close off the conversation.
Speak human to human. Remember, the people you are working with or in conflict with have feelings, families, opinions, and perspectives, “just like you.” Everyone wants to walk away happy; everyone needs to be valued, heard, and understood.
Anticipate reactions and plan countermoves. Take time to think through difficult situations and conversations. Anticipate how your message will be received. What will your response be to anticipated questions and reactions? Should your message be revised? Consider how you would want to receive the information you are delivering.
Be curious, don’t lay blame. No one wants to be blamed . . . for anything! Be factual and ask questions to gather information about the situation. To understand an issue or problem, try exploring the circumstances with others and seeking collective solutions.
Seek feedback on the way you deliver messages. When you acknowledge your blindspots and openly strive to improve, you build trust with your team.
Measure psychological safety. Talk about psychological safety and ask people how safe they feel and what would improve their sense of being safe and their willingness to take risks.
Psychological safety is an imperative element of high-performing teams. There are several resources available that provide additional information and perspectives on the subject. Please check out the resources below to learn more and understand how psychological safety is supported and created when working remotely.
Resources & Sources
How do you create psychological safety at work (3-minute video with Amy Edmondson, Ph.D.)
High-performing teams need psychological safety; here’s how to create it