Psychological safety is the glue that holds the most successful teams together, and it's only as strong as the safety experienced by the people who need it most.
And it's the responsibility of the people who feel the safest, who have positional or social power, to work hardest to lift it. The sting in the tail is that the people that feel the least safe, are the least likely to speak up about it.
So, where do you start?
1. Encourage open communication and active listening: Foster an environment where team members feel comfortable speaking up and expressing their thoughts and feelings. Encourage everyone to listen actively and show that you value their contributions.
2. Promote a culture of trust: Trust is an essential component of psychological safety. Take steps to build trust within your team, such as being transparent and following through on commitments.
3. Support diversity and inclusion: Creating a diverse and inclusive team can help to build psychological safety. Encourage team members to bring their unique perspectives and experiences to the table and create an environment where everyone feels valued and respected.
4. Establish clear expectations and guidelines: Having clear expectations and guidelines can help team members feel more secure and know what is expected of them.
5. Encourage risk-taking and learning from mistakes: It is important to create an environment where team members feel comfortable taking risks and trying new things, even if it means making mistakes. Encourage a culture of learning from mistakes and use them as opportunities for growth.
6. Provide resources for mental health and well-being: Make sure team members have access to resources such as mental health support, stress management techniques, and work-life balance support.
7. Encourage regular check-ins and feedback: Regular check-ins and feedback can help team members feel connected and supported. Encourage team members to give and receive feedback in a constructive and respectful manner.
8. Praise and reward people when they take risks: This will set the scene for further risk-taking in the future. Risk-taking can be speaking up, sharing an idea, or questioning someone in a position of power.
It's only when leaders and those with power start to let go of that power and actively engage with every member of the team to understand the unique forces that reduce their safety that they will be able to build cohesive high-performing teams.
Credit: Amy Edmondson for her research and thought leadership on this important subject