Foster Psychological Safety for Workplace Success

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In the dynamic modern workplace characterized by constant change, psychological safety is a vital element for team success and healthy organizational cultures. Rooted in psychology and supported by extensive research, psychologically safe teams and organizations are characterized by environments where people can express themselves openly without fear, resulting in greater collaboration, innovation, and overall well-being.

The concept of psychological safety, popularized by Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson, highlights the importance of creating the right conditions where people feel empowered to voice their opinions, admit mistakes, and take calculated risks without holding back.

A Soft Idea Backed Up by Hard Research

Psychological safety is the bedrock upon which high-performing teams and resilient organizations are built.

One of the most iconic examples highlighting the impact of psychological safety comes from Google's Project Aristotle. In a quest to decode the success factors behind its most effective teams, Google embarked on an extensive study that ultimately identified psychological safety as the single most important dynamic for team success. Google’s researchers concluded that psychological safety is by far the most important piece of the puzzle. Without it, nothing else will dramatically move the performance needle.

More recently, a comprehensive research study sponsored by the Center for Creative Leadership showed a strong correlation between teams exhibiting robust psychological safety and their superior performance, including the diminished instances of interpersonal conflicts.

Seven Steps to Psychological Safety

When individuals are confident that their ideas won't be dismissed or met with retribution, they are more likely to contribute at their highest levels. Teams with psychological safety demonstrate increased cooperation, better problem-solving abilities, and higher levels of innovation.

Here are seven steps to creating greater psychological safety in your teams and organizations:

1. Role Model: Leaders play a pivotal role in setting the tone for psychological safety. When leaders openly admit mistakes, share their insights from personal setbacks, and encourage diverse perspectives, it sets a powerful precedent for the team.
2. Encourage Constructive Feedback: Foster a culture where feedback is embraced as a tool for growth rather than a critique. Train teams to provide feedback that is specific, actionable, and focused on improvement.
3. Actively Listen: Encourage active listening by acknowledging and valuing every team member's input. Make sure everyone's voice is heard and considered, irrespective of their role or tenure.
4. Be Inclusive: Create a culture that respects diversity and values different viewpoints. Encourage individuals to share their unique perspectives, which can lead to richer discussions and innovative solutions.
5. Acknowledge Failure as a Learning Opportunity: Celebrate failure as a stepping stone to success. When failures are met with curiosity rather than blame, teams are more likely to explore uncharted territories and experiment with novel approaches.
6. Create Clear Communication Norms: Develop guidelines for effective communication, ensuring that discussions remain respectful and focused on ideas rather than personal attacks.
7. Get Vulnerable: Demonstrate vulnerability by sharing personal challenges and learning in ways that create authentic and relatable connections, which empowers others to feel safe in their own vulnerability as well.

In an era where professional success hinges on interpersonal dynamics, psychological safety is an essential tool to catalyze individual, team, and organizational growth and transformation.