Psychological Safety

Capability Area: High challenge and high support is underpinned by a culture where people feel safe to learn together, take interpersonal risk, raise concerns and contribute.

Psychological Safety ‘A climate where people feel safe enough to take interpersonal risks by speaking up and sharing concerns, questions, or ideas.’ Professor Amy Edmondson

‘An environment of Rewarded Vulnerability’  Timothy R. Clark, PhD

At the intersection of a growth mindset and a compelling environment sits psychological safety. It is where high challenge and high support sit. Any dialogue is influenced by the mindset with which we enter it. Our mindset can be in turn affected by the environment we are a part of.  When we make it safe to contribute, discuss and create processes for learning, psychological safety begins and cultures of toxicity, avoidance and blame weaken. 

Psychological safety has been found to be the key to high performance. For momentum, a learning culture is a critical accelerator.   Underpinning all learning cultures is an environment of authentic belonging, voice and contribution.

Watch this video for an introduction to this topic.  The accompanying activity provides stimulus for identifying the team’s first thoughts about this concept within your context.  The following Buzz Bites videos provide more guidance on how to build psychological safety.