How to Create Psychological Safety

What is psychological safety? Once you understand what it is you can begin to learn how to create psychological safety.

Psychological safety is the belief that you won't be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes. It's a feeling of trust and comfort that allows people to be themselves and take risks without fear of negative consequences.

Why is psychological safety important?

Psychological safety is important because it creates an environment where people are more likely to be creative, innovative, and productive. When people feel safe to take risks, they are more likely to share their ideas and collaborate with others. This can lead to better decision-making and problem-solving.

According to Google's Project Aristotle, psychological safety is one of the five key factors that contribute to high-performing teams. The other four factors are dependability, structure and clarity, meaning, and impact.

Another issue facing companies today and many leaders is that employees aren't willing to settle for anything less than a great culture. I don't blame them. We spend 80% of time with those we work with, so it makes sense that we want to be happy and feel safe during that time.

In today's organizational climate employees are 9x more likely to quit due to a negative or toxic culture. Additionally, employees say that the most stressful part of their job is their boss!

Creating positive cultures where psychological safety, engagement, and positive mindsets are the norm isn't difficult. However, from my experience we tend to make it that way. When you are intentional about how you lead you notice the details and it comes naturally to you to care about the people in your culture.

Here are the 5 steps I believe as a leader will create psychological safety within your workplace and team.

1. Have open conversations with your team members.
   • The conversations you have everyday are so important. We understand the power our conversations can have with people. Even a 2 minutes conversation with someone you don't normally speak to can make them feel seen.
   • Making it a point everyday to have quality conversations with your team members should be a habit. Quality conversations that add value. If you are a checklist kind of person then by all means add this to your to do list, but when you approach someone for a conversation get rid of the checklist mentality.
   • Show your team that you are open to feedback and willing to admit mistakes. Be transparent about your own decision-making process and be willing to explain your rationale.
   • Create an environment where people feel comfortable speaking up and sharing their ideas, even if they are different from your own. Solicit feedback from your team on a regular basis and make sure that everyone has an opportunity to be heard.
   • Real communication is about adding value to that person's life.
2. Balance the needs of every individual on your team.
   • Everyone wants to feel seen, heard, and valued.
   • How well do you know everyone you work with? How well do you know those on your team. As a leader you need to find out who your people truly are. What inspires them, what their goals are, and how they communicate.
   • What works for one won't work for all.
   • Use personality assessments to help dig deeper into those you lead and work with. Although a word of caution, don't use them to point a finger or place someone in a box. People are more than what their assessment says about them, but they can be good tools to help you understand more about them.
3. Be inclusive.
   • Treat everyone with dignity and respect, regardless of their position or title. Create a culture of inclusion and belonging where everyone feels valued and respected.
4. Listen & Be Curious
   • Stephen Covey said it best in his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, "Seek first to understand, then to be understood." To often we are approaching conversations with the intent to respond. The best advice I have ever gotten as a leader is to remain curious. This starts with active listening or as I say, listen with the intent to understand not respond.
   • When you truly listen to someone a whole new world opens up. You can actually gain a window into their perspective. To open that window even more you ask questions. I believe that one of the most powerful tools we have is questions. It can make those around you feel valued because you actually want to hear what they have to say. It can also create more meaningful conversations as well as a culture of learning.
5. Celebrate wins big and small.
   • When things go well, be sure to recognize and celebrate your team's accomplishments. This shows your team that their hard work is appreciated and that their contributions are valued.
   • Fail forward! Treat failures as a win. Failure is how we learn and grow so we need to treat it that way.
   • When things don't go according to plan, don't dwell on the past. Instead, focus on learning from your mistakes and moving forward. Create a culture where failure is seen as an opportunity to learn and grow.

Some more tips you may find helpful.

• Be Curious. Step 1 - When you are talking to someone, give them your full attention. Make eye contact and listen carefully to what they have to say. Step 2 - Find moments to ask questions and lean into conversations with genuine curiosity.
• Personal Accountability. When something goes wrong, focus on finding solutions instead of blaming people. Create a culture where mistakes are seen as learning opportunities rather than punishable offenses.
• Recognize those outside your team. When someone does a good job, be sure to recognize and appreciate their hard work. This shows others in your organization that their contributions are valued and that their hard work is not going unnoticed.
• 360 Feedback. Ask your team for feedback on your own performance and be open to suggestions. This shows your team that you are committed to continuous improvement and that you value their input.

By following these 5 steps, you can create a workplace where people feel safe to take risks, be themselves, and do their best work.

Here are some examples of how to create psychological safety in the workplace:

• Have regular team meetings where everyone has an opportunity to share their ideas and feedback.
• Encourage team members to ask questions and challenge assumptions.
• Celebrate failures and mistakes.
• Celebrate team successes and learn from failures together.
• Provide team members with the support and resources they need to be successful.

Psychological safety is not something that happens overnight. It takes time and effort to create a culture of trust and respect. However, the benefits of psychological safety are well worth the investment.

Sources

1. www.zenithjourney.com/blog/episode/a-big-hiring-mistake-you-should-avoid/
2. lifeaftermerlot.com/2021/09/12/feeling-safe/
3. https://hbr.org/2023/02/what-is-psychological-safety#:~:text=A%20lot%20of%20what%20goes,team%20members%20feel%20supported%3B%20and