ICW 4 Building Psychological Safety: The Secret Sauce for Thriving Teams

Practical Steps to Create Trust, Drive Innovation, and Foster True Collaboration

Why Psychological Safety Matters

Psychological safety is a shared belief that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking. When it exists, team members feel they can speak up without fear of judgment, retaliation, or ridicule. This freedom enables trust, creativity, and deeper connection within the team—essential elements for innovation.

A study by Amy Edmondson, a pioneering researcher on psychological safety, found that teams with high psychological safety are more likely to admit mistakes, ask for help, and take risks—leading to greater learning and improved outcomes. Without it, even the best strategies fall flat.

Fact: According to research by Gallup, only 3 in 10 employees strongly agree that their opinions seem to count at work. Teams that encourage psychological safety see a 12% increase in productivity and a 27% reduction in turnover.

Practical Steps to Build Psychological Safety

1. Model Curiosity and Humility

When leaders embrace curiosity and humility, they signal that it's okay not to have all the answers. This opens the floor for others to share their insights. Ask open-ended questions, like: “What’s another way to look at this?” or “How can we do this differently?”

Tip: If you’re a coach, try starting sessions with a question that invites fresh perspectives, such as, “What are we not seeing that could be valuable?” This sets the tone for co-creation and exploration.

2. Normalize Failure and Celebrate Learning

In psychologically safe teams, failure is framed as an opportunity to learn. When a team member takes a risk and it doesn’t pay off, it’s critical to respond constructively. Leaders who encourage psychological safety acknowledge the attempt, extract the learnings, and move forward with newfound insights.

Tip: In your next team meeting, introduce a “Failure Spotlight” segment (or perhaps a penguin story). Have team members share a time when something didn’t go as planned, focusing on what they learned. Remember to lead by example—share your own experiences openly.

“There is no innovation and creativity without failure. Period.” – Brené Brown

3. Establish Clear Norms for Feedback

Feedback can be the bedrock of trust or the birthplace of resentment—it all depends on how it’s delivered. To foster psychological safety, create guidelines for feedback that are direct but respectful. Encourage the use of “I” statements to minimize defensiveness, and focus on behaviors, not personalities.

Tip: Adopt the “SBID Model” (Situation-Behavior-Impact-Discovery). Describe the situation, specify the behavior, and explain its impact. For example, “In yesterday’s meeting (Situation), when you offered your insights on the project (Behavior), it helped us see things from a different perspective (Impact).”

Behavioral Science Insight: The SBI model, developed by the Center for Creative Leadership, is shown to reduce emotional defensiveness and improve the clarity of feedback, fostering a safer environment for honest conversations.

4. Make Inclusion a Habit, Not an Event

Feeling included means feeling safe. Leaders who regularly check in with quieter team members create a culture where everyone’s voice is valued. Ask for input from all perspectives, not just the loudest in the room.

Tip: Before closing meetings, make it a habit to go around the room (or the Zoom call!) and ask, “Is there something else you would like to add?” This simple practice reinforces that every voice matters.

Fact: Research published in the Journal of Applied Psychology found that when team members feel included, they’re 28% more likely to be innovative at work.

5. Promote Transparent Decision-Making

Ambiguity breeds insecurity, and in turn, erodes psychological safety. When decisions are made behind closed doors, trust starts to dwindle. Instead, involve your team in key decisions and be transparent about the ‘why’ behind choices.

Tip: Use a “Team Decision Framework” where decisions are categorized into three buckets: Leader-decides, Leader-decides-with-input, and Team-decides. Communicate which category each decision falls into to set clear expectations.