Psychological Safety

What is Psychological Safety?

Psychological safety is a term that refers to the climate or atmosphere within a group, team, or organization where individuals feel comfortable being themselves. In a psychologically safe environment, people feel secure enough to express their views, share their concerns, ask questions, and even make mistakes without fear of ridicule, humiliation, or punitive consequences.

People feel positive about taking interpersonal risks. Essentially, it’s the assurance that you can speak up, be heard, and not be judged unfairly for it.

Note: In a psychologically safe team, all members of a team need to feel safe. If only one or a couple feel safe, but the rest do not, then that's not a psychologically safe team.

Why is Psychological Safety Good?

Psychological safety allows for open dialogue and candid feedback, promoting a culture where ideas can be exchanged freely, constructive criticism is welcomed, and there is a strong sense of mutual respect. This creates a fertile ground for creativity, innovation, and collaboration.

People are more willing to work with each other, more willing to think of new ideas, more willing to challenge each other, more willing to take constructive criticism in the right spirit, and more motivated to improve.

Where did the term come from?

The term was originally coined by psychologist Carl Rogers in the 1950s, after a series of high profile disasters like Chernobyl and the Challenger Missions, there was an increased interest and a rise in studies related to Safety Culture and companies employing the use of it. A famous example of this being the Andon Cord from the Toyota Production System.

Researcher Dr. Amy Edmonson did seminal work in the late 1990s on the paper Psychological Safety and Learning Behavior in Work Teams and more such work in the early 200s.

This work was then picked up by Google in 2012 called Project Aristotle. The study aimed to discover what made teams at Google effective. The answer, it turned out, wasn’t about the perfect mix of skills or even the individual qualifications of team members, but the group’s social climate, especially the level of psychological safety.

The Four Stages of Psychological Safety

In his book The Four Stages Of Psychological Safety, author Tim Clark describes it in 4 progressive stages.

Inclusion Safety: Team members feel like they belong on the team.
Learner Safety: Team members feel open to to learn by asking questions.
Contributor Safety: Team members feel safe to contribute their ideas.
Challenger Safety: Team mmembers can challenge the status quo

Inclusion Safety

The first rung on the ladder of psychological safety is ensuring that everyone feels included. This is the most basic form of psychological safety, where individuals feel a sense of belonging within the team or organization.

Here, team members experience the safety to be themselves without the fear of exclusion or ostracization. Leaders and colleagues signal that each individual is a valued part of the team. Without inclusion safety, higher levels of psychological safety are almost impossible to achieve.

Learner Safety

Once the team members feel included, they can move to the stage where they feel safe to engage in the learning process. Learner safety is characterized by the comfort to ask questions, give and receive feedback, and even make mistakes without fear of embarrassment or marginalization.

In this stage, individuals are free to express their curiosity, explore new methods, and venture into unfamiliar territories, all in the name of learning and growth. The emphasis here is on continuous improvement rather than point-in-time excellence.

Contributor Safety

This is the stage where individuals feel empowered to apply what they have learned and contribute directly to the team's or organization's objectives. Here, team members go beyond just learning and actively utilize their skills and knowledge to make a meaningful impact.

They feel that their contributions will be valued and that they have the competency to make a difference. This level of psychological safety fosters a sense of ownership, where team members are motivated to go beyond the bare minimum and actively participate in achieving shared goals.

Challenger Safety

The highest level of psychological safety is achieved when team members feel secure enough to challenge the status quo. This stage allows for the constructive questioning of established practices, methods, and decisions.

It is the environment in which innovation thrives because individuals are not just contributors but are also willing to take risks by proposing changes, raising concerns, and providing critical input. They are confident that their challenges won't result in ridicule or punitive action but will be taken as opportunities for collective growth and improvement..

It’s worth noting that these stages are interdependent and build on each other. You cannot have a team where members feel free to challenge the status quo (Challenger Safety) if they don't even feel they can ask questions or make mistakes without judgment (Learner Safety).

Measuring Psychological Safety

In her research, Dr. Edmonson asked the following questions to participants to measure psychological safety in teams and measure how strongly they agreed or disagreed.

If you make a mistake on this team, it is often held against you.
Members of this team are able to bring up problems and tough issues.
People on this team sometimes reject others for being different.
It is safe to take a risk on this team.
It is difficult to ask other members of this team for help.
No one on this team would deliberately act in a way that undermines my efforts.
Working with members of this team, my unique skills and talents are valued and utilized.

Nowadays, a number of team pulse surveys incorporate these questions and it is a useful signal.

Total reliance on survey data may result in incomplete or flawed understanding of the psychological safety of teams. We recommend that you use such survey data along with knowledge you gather from reflecting on 1-1s, skip-level meetings, team performance, team meetings and more to make a holistic determination.

Psychological Safety Drift

One common mistake people make is assuming that just because a team is psychologically safe now, it will remain so in the future. In reality, things change all the time and psychologically safety may drift away, even in currently safe teams. Projects change, teammates change, external stakeholders might change, misunderstanding may arise even in such teams.

Teams and organizations should consistently assess and reassess their level of psychological safety, especially when there are changes like new leadership, shifts in strategy, or adjustments to team composition. This dynamic process requires ongoing effort and attention to ensure that psychological safety is not just established but also sustained.

Increasing Psychological Safety

In dysfunctional teams, the focus is primarily on the results, with little regard to anything else. In high-performing teams, leadership recognizes that people drive results and it's important to focus on their well-being if you really want great results.

It might be good to break it down into Clark's 4 stages of psychological safety and look into specific practices to improve them.

1. Inclusion Safety

When people feel included, they are more likely to contribute actively, collaborate efficiently, and invest emotionally in their work. Below are some practices that can specifically improve inclusion safety within teams:

Active Onboarding Processes

A well-designed onboarding process can make new hires feel welcome and included from day one. This might include buddy systems, detailed orientation programs, and immediate inclusion in team meetings and social events.

Representation Matters

Ensure that the team is diverse in its composition, representing various genders, ethnicities, backgrounds, and perspectives. A diversified team is more likely to be sensitive to inclusion and is generally better at problem-solving and creativity.

Encourage Dialogue, Discourage Monologue

Team meetings should encourage everyone to speak. Leaders can make it a point to solicit input from quieter members, ensuring that every voice is heard and valued.

Implement 'No Interruption' Rules

During team discussions, implement rules that discourage interruptions when someone is speaking. This practice ensures that every opinion is heard completely, adding to the feeling of respect and inclusion.

Open-Door Policies

Team leaders and managers should have an open-door policy where team members feel comfortable approaching them with concerns, ideas, or feedback without fear of reprisal.

Anonymous Suggestion Boxes

Sometimes people want to provide feedback or share ideas but may not feel comfortable doing so openly. An anonymous suggestion box can help collect such valuable input.

Celebrate Diverse Holidays and Milestones

Acknowledging and celebrating a diverse array of holidays, birthdays, and milestones can make team members from various backgrounds feel included and valued.

Code of Conduct and Inclusive Language

Implementing a code of conduct that stresses the importance of respectful and inclusive behavior can set the standard for how team members interact with one another. Additionally, the use of inclusive language can foster a more welcoming environment.

Accessibility and Accommodations

Make sure the workplace accommodates the needs of all employees, including those with disabilities. This could range from physical accommodations, like wheelchair ramps, to software that assists with computer accessibility.

Equity in Task Distribution

Be mindful of how tasks are distributed among team members. Often, less desirable or menial tasks end up being disproportionately allocated to underrepresented or less vocal team members.

Feedback Loops

Regularly collect and act upon feedback about the state of inclusion within the team. This could be through surveys, one-on-one interviews, or third-party assessments.

Inclusion Training

Offer training programs that educate team members about the significance of inclusion, the impact of unconscious bias, and the benefits of a diverse workforce. Training should be ongoing and reinforced regularly.

Role Rotation

Allow team members to rotate roles or responsibilities periodically. This not only helps in skill-building but also ensures that everyone gains an understanding and appreciation of each other's roles, reducing hierarchy and fostering empathy.

2. Learner Safety

Establish a 'Blame-Free' Culture

Create an environment where the focus shifts from assigning blame for mistakes to learning from them. When errors occur, facilitate a constructive discussion on lessons learned rather than penalizing the individual who made the mistake.

Promote Curiosity

Encourage team members to be curious by asking questions, even if they seem basic. An atmosphere where questioning is welcomed generates an environment where individuals feel safe to explore new concepts or clarify ambiguities.

Skill and Knowledge Sharing Sessions

Allocate time for team members to share unique skills, industry updates, or insights they have. These sessions can create a culture of peer-to-peer learning, making it easier for people to ask questions and seek advice.

Utilize 'Safe-to-Fail' Experiments

Allow team members to undertake projects where the cost of failure is low but the learning potential is high. The goal is to foster an experimental mindset, where the focus is more on what can be learned than on whether the project succeeds or fails.

Encourage Constructive Feedback

Develop a feedback-rich culture where team members are comfortable both giving and receiving constructive criticism. This involves not just sharing what needs improvement but also what has been done well.

Resource Availability

Ensure there are ample resources available for learning and development. Whether it's access to courses, time to attend workshops, or simply having a collection of industry-relevant books and materials, resource availability can enhance learner safety.

Showcase Learning as a Value

Leadership should demonstrate that learning is a core value by sharing what they're learning themselves and how they're applying it. This makes it clear that learning is encouraged at all levels of the organization.

Psychological Safety Audits

Regularly assess the level of psychological safety within the team, specifically targeting aspects of learner safety. This could be done through anonymous surveys or third-party evaluations.

Recognition of Learning Milestones

Acknowledge and celebrate learning milestones, whether it's completing a course, gaining a certification, or successfully applying a new skill or knowledge in a project. Recognition enhances motivation to learn.

Provide Autonomy in Learning Paths

Allow team members to have a say in their learning paths. The autonomy to choose what skills or knowledge to acquire makes individuals more invested in their own development.

Team Retrospectives

Implement regular team retrospectives where everyone discusses what went well, what didn't, and what can be improved. The idea is to collectively learn from both successes and failures.

Set Learning Objectives

As part of performance reviews or project planning, include specific learning objectives that are tied to actionable outcomes. This signals the importance of continuous learning as part of the team’s goals.

Demonstrate Empathy

Leaders and team members should show understanding and empathy when someone doesn't know something or makes a mistake. A supportive response can significantly impact whether that individual, or even the team at large, feels safe to try and learn again.

Share Stories of Failure and Recovery

When team members or leaders share their own stories of failure and what they learned from them, it normalizes the learning process and makes others more comfortable to share their own experiences.

3. Contributor Safety

Contributor safety refers to the level at which team members feel able to contribute their skills, ideas, and efforts to the group's objectives without fear of humiliation or punishment. At this stage of psychological safety, individuals are confident that their contributions will be respected and valued.

Balanced Contribution Opportunities

Create platforms where every team member has an equal chance to contribute. This can be formalized through structured brainstorming sessions where each person is given a set amount of time to speak or through digital collaboration tools that track participation.

Value Diversity in Contributions

Encourage contributions that come from different skill sets, experiences, and perspectives. Make it clear that varying types of input, whether analytical, creative, or practical, are all valued.

Pairing and Group Collaborations

Promote collaboration by pairing individuals with different expertise or experience levels. This encourages knowledge sharing and helps team members feel like valuable contributors within a smaller setting, which can boost confidence for larger group interactions.

Set Clear Expectations

Clearly outline what is expected from each team member in terms of their contributions to projects or objectives. When people know what is expected, they can contribute more effectively and with greater confidence.

Recognize and Acknowledge Contributions

Frequent and genuine recognition can validate a person's contributions, making them more likely to continue sharing their skills and ideas. This recognition can be public praise, bonuses, or other forms of acknowledgment.

Safe-to-Try Decision Making

Implement a "safe-to-try" decision-making process where any idea that is not a threat to the team's objectives and has some agreement can be tried. This encourages more people to contribute ideas that might otherwise be deemed too risky or unconventional.

Rotate Leadership Roles

Allow different team members to take on leadership roles for different projects or objectives. This boosts contributor safety by giving each member a chance to showcase their leadership skills and make impactful contributions.

Active Solicitation of Input

Leaders should actively seek input from team members who may be less inclined to voluntarily contribute. Sometimes people have valuable insights but may be hesitant to share unless explicitly invited to do so.

Open Revisiting of Decisions

Encourage an environment where past decisions can be revisited and discussed openly. This makes team members feel their contributions can still be valuable even if they go against the grain of previous consensus.

Document Contributions

Maintain documentation that clearly notes who contributed what in projects. This not only serves as a record but also recognizes and validates individual contributions.

Create Psychological 'Safe Spaces'

Designate times or settings specifically meant for open discussion, experimentation, and brainstorming. In these ‘safe spaces,’ team members should feel free to contribute without judgment.

Foster Emotional Intelligence

Encourage team members to develop emotional intelligence skills, like empathy and active listening. A high level of emotional intelligence within a team makes it easier for individuals to gauge how their contributions will be received and adapt accordingly.

Provide Constructive Feedback Loops

Feedback should be provided in a manner that helps improve the contribution without making the individual feel their effort was worthless. A balanced approach to criticism and praise can go a long way in creating a safety net for contributors.

Practice Inclusion in Contribution

Be cautious of contribution bias, where only certain people are expected to contribute in specific ways due to their job title, seniority, or past experience. Every team member should feel that they have the freedom and safety to contribute beyond their 'designated lane.'

4. Challenger Safety

Challenger safety is the pinnacle of psychological safety, where individuals feel free to express dissenting opinions, challenge the status quo, and take calculated risks without fear of repercussion.

Encourage ‘Devil’s Advocacy’

In meetings or decision-making forums, nominate a 'devil’s advocate'—someone whose role is to challenge ideas and assumptions. This practice normalizes the act of questioning and critical evaluation, making it part of the team’s standard procedure.

Foster a ‘Challenge Mindset’ in Leadership

Leaders should openly invite challenges to their ideas and should model the behavior by challenging their own assumptions. When leaders create a culture where they can be challenged, it trickles down to the rest of the team.

Promote a culture of Radical Candor among the team - challenging frankly while caring deeply. While discussing ideas, make sure you promote challenge of the idea being discussed rather than the person.

Implement ‘Red Teaming’

Adopt a practice where a subgroup within the team is designated to find flaws in a proposed plan or project. This 'Red Team' takes an adversarial role to test the resilience of an idea, making challenging the norm rather than the exception.

Dual Leadership Model

A dual leadership model is where two people (often at the same or similar levels of authority in the org) lead and manage the team. While it could add a bit of complexity to management, but if done right, the two could spot each others blind spots and challenge each other in a healthy manner.

Reward Calculated Risk-taking

Whether through public recognition, promotions, or tangible rewards, incentivize those who take calculated risks. Even if the risk doesn't pay off, the act of taking it—provided it was well-thought-out—should be rewarded to encourage a culture of healthy risk-taking.

Frame Failures as Learning Opportunities

Instead of punishing mistakes, turn them into learning experiences. Conduct post-mortems on projects and initiatives that didn't go as planned, focusing on lessons learned rather than attributing blame.

Implement a No-blame Culture

Create an environment where you are not looking out to blame or scapegoat any particular person. Create team accountability and a way to dispassionately discuss things which went wrong.

When you screw up, you want to identify the person. It’s how the human mind works. But we have a no-blame culture. We blame the problem rather than the person, which is easier said than done.
-Toto Wolff, Mercedes AMG-Petronas F1 Team Principle

Formula 1 is one of the highest adrenaline sports out there with massive costs to pay if things go wrong. Even then, Mercedes implements a No-blame culture towards postmortems of races.

They are one of the most successful teams in F1 history.

Pre-Mortems

Conduct exercises or simulations like pre-mortems where the cost of failure is virtually zero but the potential for learning is high. This can encourage team members to challenge themselves and others in a controlled, risk-free environment.

Prioritize Transparency

A transparent work environment where information is shared freely makes it easier for team members to identify issues worth challenging. It also instills a sense of collective ownership, where everyone feels responsible for the outcomes.

Solicit Anonymous Feedback

Sometimes people feel more comfortable challenging ideas anonymously. Providing an anonymous channel for such feedback can be a stepping stone to fostering a culture where challenges can be made openly.

Acknowledge the Courage to Challenge

It takes courage to stand against a group or propose a risky idea. Acknowledging this courage fosters a culture where people feel supported in taking these risks.

Conduct Periodic ‘Challenge Audits’

Just like financial audits, hold periodic reviews to assess how well the team is doing in terms of encouraging challenges. Discuss instances where challenges led to positive outcomes, and where the absence of challenge may have had negative consequences.

Practice Collective Decision-making

Involve team members in decisions that impact them. This not only improves the quality of the decision but also creates an environment where people feel their challenges are impactful.