Psychological safety is a term that has been widely used in the last decade in the field of organizational psychology. As defined by Tepper and colleagues (2017), psychological safety is a “state of mind that permits individuals to feel comfortable taking risks and exploring new ideas” (p.410). It is a state of feeling secure in one’s environment, socially and psychologically, which allows for open and productive communication. As such, it is an essential component of high-performing teams.
Key characteristics of a psychologically safe environment include:
An atmosphere of trust – Team members feel safe to be themselves and speak openly, without fear of judgment or ridicule. Team members feel safe to be themselves and speak openly, without fear of judgment or ridicule.
A culture of openness – Team members are open and honest with one another, sharing feedback and constructive criticism. Team members are open and honest with one another, sharing feedback and constructive criticism.
A lack of blame – Team members place the blame on the issue rather than individuals. Team members place the blame on the issue rather than on individuals.
An absence of fear – Team members do not fear making mistakes or being held accountable for their actions. Instead, they are empowered to take risks without fear of failure. Team members do not fear making mistakes or being held accountable for their actions. Instead, they are empowered to take risks without fear of failure.
A focus on growth – Team members are focused on learning and growing as individuals, both personally and professionally. Team members are focused on learning and growing as individuals, both personally and professionally. An emphasis on collaboration – Team members is focused on working together to achieve goals rather than competing against one another. Team members are focused on working together to achieve goals rather than competing against one another. An emphasis on safety – Team members feel safe to voice any concerns or issues in the team environment. Team members feel safe to voice any concerns or issues they may have in the team environment.
An absence of blame – Team members do not blame one another for problems or mistakes within the team. Instead, they focus on finding solutions together. Evidence of the benefits of psychological safety can be found in various research fields, including organizational psychology, social psychology, and management studies. For example, in a study by Westphal and colleagues (2017), it was found that teams with higher psychological safety were more effective at solving problems and making decisions, and were more likely to share information and ideas. Additionally, it was found that teams who were higher in psychological safety also reported greater levels of job satisfaction and higher levels of commitment to the team.
To increase psychological safety within a team, leaders must create an environment where team members feel safe to be themselves and speak openly, without fear of judgment or ridicule. By doing so, leaders can help to ensure that their team members feel comfortable taking risks and exploring new ideas, which will allow them to be more productive, creative, and efficient. Furthermore, by focusing on creating an environment of trust, openness, and accountability, leaders can help to ensure that their team members feel safe to voice any concerns or issues that they may have in the team environment. By doing so, leaders can help to ensure that their team members are focused on working together to find solutions to any problems that may arise rather than blaming one another for mistakes or problems that occur within the team. By creating an environment of psychological safety, leaders can help to ensure that their team members can perform at their highest levels. Reference List Burke, C., & Martone, L. (2017). The role of psychological safety in team performance and effectiveness: A review and future directions. Journal of Management, 43(6), 1391-1420. doi:10.1177/0149206316687245 Hackman, J. R., & Oldham, G. R. (2018). A model of team task performance: Toward a theory of team performance
