psychological safety

the Toyota Production System (TPS) that introduced a physical representation of psychological safety, the Andon Cord, which explicitly provides employees with the empowerment to raise issues or concerns.^[7]

its is easy to confuse psychological safety with more well-established concepts such as trust and psychological mindfulness.

organisational safety culture/climate

Compared with the phenomena of trust, psychological safety has been observed to occur more often in context of larger groups than the typically dyad focused nature of trusting relationships

Benefits[edit]

Psychological safety benefits organizations and teams in many different ways. The following are the most widely empirically supported consequences of a team being psychologically safe:^[16]

1. Improves likelihood that an attempted process innovation will be successful^[17]

2. Increases amount members learn from mistakes^[18]

3. Boosts employee engagement^[19]^[20]

4. Improves team innovation ^[21]

Leaders as well as some aspects of the team can increase team members' psychological safety. Two aspects of leadership have been shown to be particularly instrumental in creating a psychologically safe team. They are leaders using:

1. Participatory management ^[2]^[22]

2. Inclusive management ^[20]^[23]

There are also two aspects of a team that help improve its psychological safety. They are:

1. A clear team structure where members understand their role on the team^[24]

2. Strong relationships between cohesive team members^[25]^[26]

^{answer the public}

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https://newageleadership.com/psychological-safety-at-work-why-you-need-it-and-how-to-develop-it/

Can employees express their doubts, concerns, issues they know about? Or are they uncomfortable speaking up? Now think about your workplace.

Have you held back from expressing an opinion in a meeting? Or have you agreed to something you weren’t sure about, just because you didn’t feel comfortable in saying it?

Do you sometimes keep quiet even when you have questions but don’t want to look “dumb” in front of others?

This is what happened to Rodney Rocha. He did not feel safe to be more assertive and emphatically ask the manager to consider his concern and do the needful address.

^{https://www.betterup.com/blog/why-psychological-safety-at-work-matters}

What is psychological safety?

Safety, according to Maslow’s hierarchy, is a “basic human need.”

To support high-performing teams, creating psychologically safe work environments is critical. This is beyond only basic human decency, but employee retention.

So what does that mean?

The term psychological safety was coined by Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson. She defines it as “a shared belief that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking.” Establishing a climate of psychological safety allows space for people to speak up and share their ideas.

Edmondson and Harvard Business School professor Jeff Polzer says that when it comes to creating psychologically safe environments, establishing norms is critical to success and participation.

For leaders, speaking out is actually less important than how we react and respond to other team members.

https://rework.withgoogle.com/guides/understanding-team-effectiveness/steps/foster-psychological-safety/

Organizational behavioral scientist Amy Edmondson of Harvard first introduced the construct of “team psychological safety” and defined it as “a shared belief held by members of a team that the team is safe for interpersonal risk taking.” Taking a risk around your team members may sound simple. But asking a basic question like “what’s the goal of this project?” may make you sound like you’re out of the loop. It might feel easier to continue without getting clarification in order to avoid being perceived as ignorant.

https://www2.mvcc.edu/shn/pdf/presentations/fearless-organization.pdf

Most of us have been exposed to, and internalized, the figure of a villainous boss who rules by fear. Worse, many managers still believe in the power of fear to motivate. They assume that people who are afraid (of management or of the consequences of underperforming) will work hard to avoid unpleasant consequences, and good things will happen. But for jobs where learning or collaboration is required for success, fear is not an effective motivator. Research in neuroscience shows that fear consumes physiologic resources, diverting them from parts of the brain that manage working memory and process new information. This impairs analytic thinking, creative insight and problem solving. This is why it’s hard for people to do their best work when they are afraid. As a result, how psychologically safe a person feels strongly shapes the propensity to engage in learning behaviors, such as information sharing, asking for help or experimenting.

Psychological safety is the belief that the work environment is safe for interpersonal risk taking. The concept refers to the experience of feeling able to speak up with relevant ideas, questions or concerns. Psychological safety is present when colleagues trust and respect each other and feel able –– even obligated –– to be candid. In psychologically safe environments, people believe that if they make a mistake or ask for help, others will not react badly. Instead, candor is both allowed and expected.

https://hbr.org/2021/04/what-psychological-safety-looks-like-in-a-hybrid-workplace

Psychological safety — the belief that one can speak up without risk of punishment or humiliation — has been well established as a critical driver of high-quality decision making, healthy group dynamics and interpersonal relationships, greater innovation, and more effective execution in organizations.

https://newageleadership.com/psychological-safety-at-work-why-you-need-it-and-how-to-develop-it/
Google’s quest to figure out what makes teams successful

Individual brilliance is great, but team cohesiveness is more important. Most of the work done today is in projects involving multiple people working in teams. Talent management’s primary focus has been on measuring and managing individual performance.

But it is not enough. Analyzing and improving individual performance does not translate into the performance of teams or workgroups.

Google spent 2 years and enormous amounts of resources studying over 180 teams to figure out the answer to the question – What makes teams successful? They found five factors that are essential to any high-performing team. The most important factor? It is “psychological safety at work.”

https://intellihr.com/insights/7-ways-to-foster-psychological-safety-in-the-workplace

When there is psychological safety, team members feel that they can take interpersonal risks without fear of embarrassment, rejection, negative labelling or punishment. This might involve:

· Asking for help

· Asking for clarification

· Seeking or giving feedback

· Admitting a mistake or lack of knowledge

· Voicing an alternative viewpoint

· Critiquing a project or idea

· Trying something new

The five elements of successful teams, according to Google

Analyzing and improving individual performance does not translate into the performance of teams or workgroups. Hence the focus on what makes teams successful led to Google’s Project Aristotle.

The “recipe” for what makes teams successful

Google wanted to find a “recipe” for what makes teams successful. Initially, the Google researchers thought that ingredients could be

· put in a few of the high performers on the team

· add an experienced manager

· please give them a free pass to all resources

And the expectation was that you would have the output in terms of a high-performing team. Google found that this wasn’t true at all!

The constitution of the team or its Geographical location didn’t matter a lot. What mattered more were the “team norms.” Team norms are how the teams interacted. Who was on the team didn’t matter much? Instead, how the teams worked together made the difference.

The aim of Google's Project Aristotle launched in 2012 was to discover this. Google spent two years studying its teams and identified five traits that successful teams shared – dependability, structure and clarity, meaning, impact, and psychological safety.

1. Psychological safety

2. Dependability

3. Structure

4. Clarity

5. Meaning

6. Impact

Of the five, psychological safety was found to be the most critical element, and its presence was necessary for the other four to occur.

https://newageleadership.com/what-makes-teams-successful-googles-project-aristotle-came-up-with-these-five-factors-that-matter/

To quote Michael Jordan – Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.

It is true in sports and business. In cohesive teams, the whole is a lot greater than the sum of its parts. When teams work in synergy, they achieve extraordinary performance.

In dysfunctional teams, it is vice versa. The whole ends up being a lot less than the sum of the parts. You can put a group of 6-10 high-performing individuals on a team. Yet, their performance together as a team may be disappointing; how a group of individuals performs together as a team is unpredictable at best.

However, Google wanted to study real work teams. With Google, things are a little different. Google is a very successful company with access to enormous amounts of resources.

They spent 2 years studying 180 real and diverse teams at Google. These were not experimental teams but were real teams doing “real” work in a corporate setting.

Google has a data-driven approach. They conducted over 200 interviews conducted. They analyzed over 250 different attributes of teams. They defined what comprised a team.

They also defined how to measure team effectiveness. They measured it in terms of the leader, team manager, and team members’ performance and opinions.

They collected both quantitative and qualitative data and used their brainpower to analyze the data. They sought to find the “algorithm” that would predict what makes teams successful.

https://newageleadership.com/psychological-safety-at-work-why-you-need-it-and-how-to-develop-it/

Do you remember the Colombia space shuttle disaster?

On January 16th, 2003, the space shuttle Colombia blasted off into space on its 28th mission. It was a sunny day in Florida, and everything seemed to be perfect about the launch. But things were not perfect.

A piece of foam had broken off from the outside of the rocket and hit the wing area during the lift-off. On Tuesday, January 21st, five days after the launch, a team of engineers at NASA had their first formal meeting to assess the potential damage from the piece of foam that had struck the wing.

They agreed that NASA should immediately observe the wing area impacted, even if the impact was minor. This could be accomplished by others using other satellites or powerful telescopes on the ground.

The team of engineers selected Rodney Rocha, an experienced but mild-mannered engineer, to convey their recommendation.

Rodney Rocha attempted to inform his superiors and request them to observe the wing’s possible damage, but he was simply brushed aside. One manager told Rodney Rocha to stop being a “Chicken Little” – referring to the cartoon character who was always running around afraid and warning others that the sky was falling.

Despite his severe concerns about the mission’s safety, he had no choice but to keep quiet.---------

On 1st February 2003, the space shuttle Colombia disintegrated into pieces while returning to earth. Seven astronauts, including mission specialist Kalpana Chawla, died in the tragic accident.

NASA suspended any further space flights for the next two years while investigating and eliminating what could have caused the disaster.

The investigation confirmed that the cause was the friction caused due to the damaged tiles on the wing. The same damage that Rodney Rocha and his team of engineers were trying to bring to the mission control’s attention.

Boeing 737 Max problems & lack of psychological safety at work

Organizations frequently face the grave consequences of lack of psychological safety, as NASA did. Besides the loss of lives, there was severe damage to NASA’s reputation, and they had to halt the space program for two years.

Boeing 737 max aircraft tragedy is another example of such consequences of lack of PS at work. In March 2019, the Boeing 737 MAX passenger airliner was grounded worldwide after 346 people died in two crashes. First, it was the Lion Air Flight 610 on October 29, 2018.

The second flight was the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 on March 10, 2019. There were 387 Boeing 737 aircraft at that time, which served 8,600 flights per week for 59 different airlines. All of them were grounded, causing severe damage to Boeing’s reputation worldwide.

The groundings became the longest ever of a U.S. airliner. Boeing also had to suspend the production of the 737 max aircraft indefinitely.

In November 2018, Boeing launched a new automated flight control system for the 737 max aircraft. Later in the post mortem done by FAA and NTSB, they found that employees had serious concerns about the automated flight control system.

They did not feel comfortable enough to voice theirs against the backdrop of a multibillion project’s delivery timeline pressures. Later in the interviews, the employees said they were afraid to speak up as they thought they might lose their job.

Whether that would really happen or not, it clearly shows that these employees did not feel PS at work.

https://hbr.org/2017/08/high-performing-teams-need-psychological-safety-heres-how-to-create-it

When the workplace feels challenging but not threatening, teams can sustain the broaden-and-build mode. Oxytocin levels in our brains rise, eliciting trust and trust-making behavior. This is a huge factor in team success

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2021/05/28/fostering-psychological-safety-in-the-workplace/?sh=1f276e5d4773

Why is a psychologically safe workplace important?

First, the data supports it. According to Gallup’s State of the American Workplace Report, just three in 10 U.S. workers strongly agree that at work, their opinions seem to count. With increased psychological safety, organizations could realize a reduction in turnover and safety incidents and an increase in productivity.

https://www.psychsafety.co.uk/benefits-of-psychological-safety/

The tangible benefits of building psychological safety in your organisation range from improved innovation, better ideas, and products that excite your customers, through to reduced risk of failures, breaches, and non-compliance.

Psychological safety results in happier teams that take more intelligent risks, raise concerns sooner, stay on the team longer, are more resilient to change and external threats, and ultimately result in a real improvement to the bottom line of your business or organisation. Whether your organisation is more risk-averse and cautious, or fast-moving and innovative, psychological safety will help you achieve your goals and create happier, more engaged teams.

1- Increased Innovation

You won’t hear ideas unless people feel safe enough to say them out loud (or write them down). When we suggest ideas, we’re making ourselves vulnerable, because we’re opening up the idea for critique, and that idea is part of us – it came from our own mind.

Increasing psychological safety increases the likelihood of successful innovation, through intelligent risk taking and lower fear of failure resulting in quicker time-to-market and improved products and services.

2- Better Reliability and Performance

Higher psychological safety results in increased quality and reliability, however that looks in your field. Maybe it’s more reliable software, better patient outcomes, or safer aeroplanes.

Psychological safety improves outcomes primarily via two mechanisms. Firstly, admitting a mistake provides the opportunity to mitigate the impact of it sooner rather than later, if at all.

Secondly, admitting a mistake allows the whole team to learn from it, and make changes to process, systems, or capabilities in order to reduce the chances of it happening again – or of it does happen again, the impact is reduced.

Carrying out exercises such as blameless retrospectives results in fewer problems or outages, higher quality, and improved governance, compliance and controls.

3- Better Health and Safety, and Security

Improved psychological safety results in a higher likelihood of proper reporting of concerns and security issues, resulting in decreased risk of security, health and safety or non-compliance incidents.

4- Higher Employee Retention and Lower Churn

Psychological safety results in happier teams, increased employee engagement, and improved raising of genuine concerns to employee wellbeing, which results in lower churn rates and decreased costs related to recruitment and absenteeism.

5- Improved Company Reputation

This is a result of higher performing and happy teams, who promote their team and organisation from within. Team members who work in happy, high-performing teams will do your recruiting for you, by encouraging other great people to join.

6- Increased Profitability and Bottom-line Improvements

As a result of all of the above, from improved performance and faster delivery, higher quality, reduced re-work, safer workplaces, lower recruitment and sickness costs, fewer security issues and faster innovation, the financial performance of your organisation will be improved. Whether the organisation is private, public, charity or government, improving psychological safety will have a dramatic effect on organisational performance.

7- Most importantly, happiness.

Fundamentally, building psychological safety is not only the right thing to do for members of your teams, but it’s the right thing to do for your business or your organisation. High performing teams aren’t happy because they’re high performing, they’re high performing because they’re happy.

Psychological safety is important not just because it creates create outcomes for your organisation, but because it’s the right, the human, thing to do.

OR /AND ALSO MERGE THESE POINTS

https://www.betterup.com/blog/why-psychological-safety-at-work-matters

1. Enhances employee engagement. When team members feel safe at work, it’s easier for them to engage. This could be in a team meeting, solving problems, collaborating on projects, and engaging with their customers and peers.

Additionally, safe teams inspire employees to be fully present at work versus dozing off or counting the hours until the workday is over.

Fosters an inclusive workplace culture. It’s more important than ever to make all team members feel included. Safe workspaces welcome diverse teams.

They allow all team members to flourish regardless of gender, color, race, background, or political preferences. The result is a rich give-and-take experience where everyone feels connected and part of a united front.
Inspires creativity and ideas. In order for creativity and ideas to flow organically, team members must feel safe expressing themselves. Imagine how many inspired ideas were never shared because a team member didn't feel safe sharing.
Improves employee well-being. Mental health highly contributes to overall well-being. When employees are mentally healthy, it's easier for them to perform at an optimal level and avoid stressors that keep them from doing their best.
Creates brand ambassadors. Creating a psychologically safe workplace is one of the best ways to inspire team members to constantly brag about you. Team members can’t help but gush about how wonderful work is when they’re being treated right.
Reduces employee turnover. A recent study reported that team members who feel psychologically safe at work are less likely to leave. In the end, why leave a company that treats you with respect and makes you feel safe and valued?

There are horrendous costs that come with interviewing, hiring, and training team members (among other costs). High employee turnover isn’t sustainable for successful businesses.
Boosts team performance. When you’ve got highly engaged employees that don’t want to leave, teams perform. When you have an inclusive workplace culture, brand ambassadors, inspired ideas, teams perform.

When you have healthy employees in addition to all of the above, you’ve got a winning recipe for boosting team performance.

The 4 stages of psychological safety

The four stages of psychological safety developed by Dr. Timothy Clark are:

Stage 1: Inclusion safety

This level of safety refers to satisfying the basic human need of connecting and belonging. In this first stage, you feel safe and accepted to be who you are — quirky characteristics and all.

Stage 2: Learner safety

In this stage, you feel safe to learn, ask questions, and experiment. You feel open to giving and receiving feedback (and you even feel safe to make mistakes).

Stage 3: Contributor safety

At this point, you finally feel safe to make a valuable contribution using your skills and gifts.

Stage 4: Challenger safety

This final stage involves feeling safe enough to challenge the status quo when you see an opportunity for change or improvement.

According to Dr. Clark, team members must progress through these stages in order to feel comfortable enough to speak up and make valuable contributions.

https://www.psychsafety.co.uk/the-four-stages-of-psychological-safety/

Inclusion Safety – members feel safe to belong to the team. They are comfortable being present, do not feel excluded, and feel like they are wanted and appreciated.
Learner Safety – members are able to learn through asking questions. Team members here may be able to experiment, make (and admit) small mistakes, and ask for help.
Contributor Safety – members feel safe to contribute their own ideas, without fear of embarrassment or ridicule. This is a more challenging state, because volunteering your own ideas can increase the psychosocial vulnerability of team members.
Challenger Safety – members can question others’ (including those in authority) ideas or suggest significant changes to ideas, plans, or ways of working.

Psychological safety is a condition in which human beings feel (1) included, (2) safe to learn, (3) safe to contribute, and (4) safe to challenge the status quo—all without fear of being embarrassed, marginalized, or punished in some way. The 4 stages of psychological safety is a universal pattern that reflects the natural progression of human needs in social settings. When teams, organizations, and social units of all kinds progress through the four stages, they create deeply inclusive environments, accelerate learning, increase contribution and performance, and stimulate innovation.

Stage 1: Inclusion Safety

Inclusion safety satisfies the basic human need to connect and belong. Whether it’s our first day of school, we’ve taken a new job, or joined a neighborhood book club, when we have inclusion safety, we feel accepted by a social unit and can interact with its members without fear of rejection, embarrassment, or punishment. We’re given a shared identity with others and destigmatized as an outsider. In fact, the need to be accepted precedes the need to be heard. Granting inclusion safety to another person is a moral imperative that activates our humanity. Only the threat of harm can excuse us from this responsibility. When we create inclusion safety for others, regardless of our differences, we welcome them into our society simply because they’re human.

Stage 2: Learner Safety

Learner safety satisfies the basic human need to learn and grow. It allows us to feel safe as we engage in all aspects of the learning process–asking questions, giving and receiving feedback, experimenting, and even making mistakes, not if but when we make them. We all bring some inhibition and anxiety to the learning process. Who hasn’t hesitated to raise their hand to ask a question in a group setting for fear of feeling dumb? Because learning is an interplay of the head and the heart, learner safety cultivates confidence, resilience, and independence in that process. Conversely, a lack of learner safety triggers the self-censoring instinct, shuts down learning, and thrusts the individual into a mode of managing personal risk . When we create learner safety for others, we give encouragement to learn in exchange for a willingness to learn.

Stage 3: Contributor Safety

Contributor safety satisfies the basic human need to contribute and make a difference. When contributor safety is present, we feel safe to contribute as a full member of the team, using our talents and abilities to participate in the value-creation process. We have a natural desire to apply what we’ve learned to make a meaningful contribution. Why do we dislike micromanagers? Because they don’t give us the freedom and discretion to reach our potential. Why do we like empowering bosses? Because they encourage us and draw out our best efforts. The more we contribute, the more confidence and competence we develop. When we create contributor safety for others, we empower them with autonomy and guidance in exchange for effort and results.

Stage 4: Challenger Safety

Challenger safety satisfies the basic human need to change and improve. It’s the support and confidence we need to ask questions such as, “Why do we do it this way?” “What if we tried this?” “May I suggest a better way?” It allows us to feel safe to challenge the status quo without retribution or the risk of damaging our personal standing or reputation. Challenger safety provides respect and permission to dissent and disagree when we think something needs to change and it’s time to say so. It allows us to overcome the pressure to conform and gives us a license to innovate and be creative. As the highest level of psychological safety, it matches the increased vulnerability and personal risk associated with challenging the status quo. When we create challenger safety, we give air cover in exchange for candor. We thrive in environments that respect us and allow us to (1) feel included, (2) feel safe to learn, (3) feel safe to contribute, and (4) feel safe to challenge the status quo. If we can’t do these things, if it’s emotionally expensive, fear shuts us down. We’re not happy and we’re not reaching our potential. But when the environment nurtures psychological safety, there’s an explosion of confidence, engagement, and performance. Ask yourself if you feel included, safe to learn, safe to contribute, and safe to challenge the status quo. Finally, ask yourself if you’re creating an environment where others can do these four things. In the process, look around and see others with respect and fresh amazement, find deeper communion in your relationships, and more happiness and satisfaction in your own life.

https://www.betterup.com/blog/why-psychological-safety-at-work-matters

6 tips for fostering psychological safety in your workplace

It’s crucial to prioritize high psychological safety to create a high-performing team.

As the saying goes, actions speak louder than words. Team cultures reflect the actions and reactions of their leaders. Leaders who fail to establish and support psychologically safe team environments can cause irreparable negative consequences and damage to the organization.

Creating a psychologically safe work environment starts with coaching focused on behavior change. This starts with each team member and spreads throughout the organization.

Changing cultural norms requires progressive learning by everyone in the company. A coach to guide these processes at the individual level ensures that behavior changes are being taught correctly. It's reinforced in real-time through experiential learning.

To establish and maintain a psychologically safe work climate, leaders must consistently model inclusive behaviors in order to build out new team norms over time.

Here are six ways you can foster psychological safety in your workplace.

1. Practice active listening and curiosity

Ask team members to weigh in with their thoughts and expertise. This is especially important to practice at times in which their opinions may challenge your thinking.

Dive deep, ask questions, and ask for feedback from other team members too. Don’t assume team members are wrong just because you disagree. Peel the onion and learn from your team as much as they learn from you (if not more).

Just as important as curiosity is the role of active listening. Active listening ensures people feel valued and that they can contribute to the team. Ideas to improve listening include:

Leave phones at the door (or on the desk) during meetings
Show understanding by repeating what was said
Encourage people to share more by asking questions
If certain individuals rarely speak during meetings, actively ask them for their opinion

2. Promote respect

If a team member engages in undermining, shaming, or any behavior that discourages others from speaking up, don’t condone it. But also, don't ignore this behavior.

Intervene and share how such statements can impede creativity and innovation, including the sharing of concerns, ideas, and questions.

3. Lead by example

Anyone in a position of responsibility should set an example for the rest of the company. This is applicable from senior management, down to team leads and managers. If done properly, the set of behaviors should become a norm across the company.

Ask for upward feedback
Acknowledge your mistakes
Be open to opinions that differ from your own
Be approachable and encourage reports to ask questions

You can't expect team members to perform a certain way or feel safe if you don't lead by example. This means apologizing when you make a mistake, demonstrating considerate communication, showing empathy, and asking for help when you need it.

4. Embrace vulnerability

According to Edmondson, leaders owning their vulnerability and fallibility is a mark of true strength. It shows a willingness to improve, and a recipe for encouraging open and honest feedback. When leaders acknowledge their own fallibility, it allows the team and the organization to learn and improve.

Importantly, it creates space for others to admit their own and models that ownership of mistakes is valued by the company.

This is even truer when it comes to remote work (in addition to online tools like polls, votes, and yes/no buttons).

5. Foster an open conversation (with a growth mindset)

Pay attention to how teams operate. Is everyone given an opportunity to speak up? Are some more silent than others? Work to foster equal speaking time for everyone.

Use ice breakers and calm environments to quickly get over any awkwardness or tension. Consider having company outings or virtual hangouts so team members can feel free to let their guard down and be themselves.

This is also a great time to get to know each other on a deeper level.

In order to break free of judgment and strengthen the relationship between team members, it’s important to have an open mindset. Often we look at things from our own lens, but approaching them from a different angle can help bring perspective. In order to develop an open mindset at the workplace:

Encourage teams to share feedback with one another
Help them learn how to respond to input from others
Encourage teams and individuals to see feedback as a way to strengthen and build upon their ideas and processes.

6. Empower from a place of privilege

If you’re someone who isn’t underrepresented in your community, make efforts to leverage your privilege to empower underrepresented colleagues.

Examples of this include highlighting team members’ accomplishments among others. Recommend underrepresented team members for high visibility assignments and projects. Sustained visible support is equally important.

For example, volunteer to sponsor an employee resource group. Attend the events hosted by employee resource groups whether or not you are a sponsor. This shows actual interest and appreciation that can help build trust.

Creating an environment of psychological safety takes self-awareness and a commitment to learning new behaviors. But the tradeoff is more than worth it — and necessary.

Beyond the obvious advantages of avoiding groupthink and creating an efficient team, dedicated resources will help. This helps to establishing the behaviors that lend themselves to psychological safety. By doing you, you'll retain talented female teammates who deserve to have their seats at the table.

Long-term, your entire organization will benefit.

https://intellihr.com/insights/7-ways-to-foster-psychological-safety-in-the-workplace

Ways to foster psychological safety

Fostering psychological safety isn’t just a one off thing like getting everyone together for a team lunch or activity (although that won’t hurt!); it’s an ongoing process and commitment. Not unlike a bonsai tree, if it’s carefully cultivated and attended to, it will grow into something beautiful, but its delicate ecosystem can also be easily damaged by neglect.

Edmondson suggests three things to build psychological safety in a team (and we’ve added another four that we think are pretty important).

1. Frame the work as a learning problem, not an execution problem

Make it known that there is uncertainty around the problem/project/task, and that you don’t have all of the answers. Reiterate that everyones’ input is important and that it’s okay to take risks.

“We can’t know what will happen, we’ve got to have everybody’s brains – and voices – in the game, that creates the rationale for speaking up.” Edmondson says.

2. Acknowledge your own fallibility

Secondly, leaders need to emphasise that they don’t know how to do it and that they are not perfect.

“Say simple things like ‘I may miss something I need to hear from you’. This goes for subordinates, colleagues and peers alike. That creates more safety for speaking up.”

3. Model curiosity and ask lots of questions

Be curious about what other team members bring to the table. Be curious about what you don’t know.

“Asking a lot of questions creates a necessity for voice.”

And don’t forget to listen to the answers 😉 You can demonstrate active listening through non-verbal communication like eye contact, facial expressions, body posture and gestures.

Summarising or paraphrasing what’s been said is also a good way to show that you’re listening and that you understand.

4. Ask for feedback

Create a culture of continuous, 360 degree feedback. Asking for feedback helps to build a culture of trust and shows that you care.

You can ask for feedback not just on how psychologically safe the environment is, but on how employees are coping (wellness checks), how they’re enjoying their role, if they’re feeling included and how they feel about the company, (i.e. eNPS). Managers and leaders should also have the opportunity to provide feedback. Gathering feedback helps to create a rich picture of sentiment across your organization and across time so that you can quickly recognise any issues or shifts as and when they occur.

intelliHR’s Wellness analytics show how your team are coping and trending issues.

5. Act on feedback

Don’t just ask for feedback, act on it! This is absolutely vital to demonstrate to team members that they’ve been heard and that you’re committed to making the workplace the best it can be.

6. Team building and psychological safety exercises

You can also conduct psychological safety exercises within your team. Gallup’s Jake Herway recommends asking the team the following set of questions to help create a set of shared values, purpose and identity.

1. What can we count on each other for?

2. What is our team’s purpose?

3. What is the reputation we aspire to have?

4. What do we need to do differently to achieve that reputation and fulfil our purpose

Discussing and answering these questions will allow team members to be vulnerable, honest and engaged. Herway emphasises that the order of the questions is crucial, as the first one highlights strengths and will help to establish an environment of individual safety before moving onto team safety. Speaking out loud about each other’s strengths validates for each individual that their contribution and place in the team is safe, valued and appreciated.

FREE DOWNLOAD: Team psychological safety exercise

7. Be vulnerable

Psychological safety is about encouraging and enabling your team to feel like they can bring their whole selves to work and that it’s okay to take risks and make mistakes. And one of the best ways to do this is by example.

Be open about who you are outside of work. Be vulnerable in discussing your opinions and failures. In doing so, you’ll make it okay for others to do the same.

Final thoughts: Psychological safety in remote and hybrid teams

The case for psychological safety becomes even more critical when teams don’t work together in the same physical location.

Although the benefits of remote working are many, it does present challenges in building connection and team cohesiveness. Research has shown that in hybrid teams, those who are working in the office together have a stronger shared group identity than those working externally, who felt less attached to the group.

On top of this, not working in the office impacted the remote workers’ capacity to build relationships and their career development compared to in-office workers who were more likely to receive preferential treatment from leaders.

Proactively and consciously creating an environment of psychological safety will help make those at home feel more like they can contribute. Here’s a few tips for how to do it.

· Be inclusive and ask everyone on the meeting specifically for their input or questions.

· Communicate clearly – whether it’s the purpose of a meeting, expectations with regards to work style and schedule or project responsibilities,

· Ask questions that show that it’s okay for team members to bring their ‘whole selves’ to work (who they are at work, as well as who they are outside of work e.g. hobbies, family etc)

· Create opportunities for team members to connect with and understand each other so they can empathise with each others’ struggles, strengths and sensitivities.

https://ca.achievecentre.com/blog/5-tips-for-fostering-psychological-safety-in-your-workplace/

This past week I read an article by leadership scholar, Amy Edmondson, on learning behavior in work teams. It struck me as both simple and profound. Although it was written in 1999, it seems particularly relevant today. Edmondson’s research points out that most organizations are not adaptive in new situations – they simply wait for things to return to the way they were. In doing so, these organizations miss the opportunities for growth that change and crisis can bring.

Her research concerns me when I think about the new reality of living and working during the COVID-19 pandemic. But how do we change and adapt when faced with a crisis? How can we avoid the common pitfall of inflexibility that Edmondson describes?

When the conditions for psychological safety are set, not only do individuals learn, but teams and organizations get to develop as a collective. As we adapt to COVID-19 – both now and in the future – we need to create psychological safety in our organizations.

Here are five ways that can help build psychological safety so we can emerge from this pandemic stronger, better, and different than we were going in:

1. Don’t let people disappear

With many of us working remotely, it’s easy to shortchange connection and feedback. Recently, my son told me about one of his friends who works for a large company. This friend lives alone and now works alone. Instead of being a part of a bustling office, he spends his days with the same four walls of his apartment for company. He is competent, hardworking, and puts in long hours, but has not heard a word of affirmation or feedback about the work he is doing. He is feeling undervalued and like he has disappeared. This week he called his direct supervisor to ask for a performance evaluation!

Let’s not wait until our employees or coworkers ask. Instead, make more of an effort to reach out, communicate, and give feedback. Remember, affirmations are powerful.

As we adapt to COVID-19 – both now and in the future – we need to create psychological safety in our organizations.

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2. Encourage people to share their perspectives

Each one of the members on our team have unique knowledge. When teams meet, they often focus on what they all know and understand, and then make their decisions only using this shared group knowledge. Virtual meetings can make it even more difficult for each team member to share their individual perspective. However, using only collective knowledge limits the scope and validity of decisions that are made.

Keeping expectations clear, asking members to prepare in advance, expecting input from each and every member, and encouraging differing perspectives will facilitate better decisions and build accountability.

3. Lose the militaristic language

Currently, there is a lot of militaristic language used in our “battle” with COVID-19, in the hopes of inspiring engagement. These battle cries imply that our staff are warriors, not people who are working in unsettling times. The message is that our team members should soldier on and take one for the team.

What our team members need is not a call to arms, but rather care and support (which leads to my next point).

4. Ask employees what they need

Especially in times such as these, our team members may be apprehensive to ask for help or admit that they are finding a task difficult or overwhelming (especially if we use militaristic language!). Many employees I know are secretly afraid that they will be the next layoff due to COVID-19. Many of them would rather have their management be clear and transparent about their decision-making and future plans than kept ignorant, even if the decisions negatively impact them.

Don’t wait for employees to reach out and don’t assume you know what your employees need to feel supported and safe. Instead, ask them what supports or resources they need and do your best to deliver.

Being transparent about the things we try – and the things that fail – will help reduce the fear of failure for your employees.

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5. Speak openly about mistakes

When we adapt to change and crisis, we have to try new things and create new processes. Experimentation is a necessity of adaptation, so it should be expected that there will be some mistakes along the way. We start procedures only to realize they don’t work, and things we did a few months ago that worked well are now failing. Our employees are also adapting, experimenting, and making mistakes as they adjust to their new normal.

Being transparent about the things we try – and the things that fail – will help reduce the fear of failure for your employees. In turn, this will encourage your employees to experiment, make mistakes, and ultimately find new ways to succeed.

Many of us are hoping that the post-pandemic future will entail returning to a society that resembles something we are familiar with, perhaps to even forget about this strange time altogether. Certainly, we would never choose the upheaval, hurt, or heartache this virus has caused, and I don’t want to minimize the very real tragedy it has affected. However, I think it’s wise that we already begin to think what might be learned and what could and should change when we move into a post-pandemic world and workplace. You can start by using the tips above to foster psychological safety in your workplace.

https://www.betterup.com/blog/why-psychological-safety-at-work-matters

How team members can promote psychological safety at work

For psychological safety to work for teams, everyone has to commit to it — including leaders and team members. To develop a culture where psychological safety is the norm, managers can try out these four psychological safety exercises:

Pose a check-in question. Make a practice of taking 3 minutes at the beginning of meetings to pose a non-work-related, check-in question to participants. This allows people to see each other from a different angle and as whole people rather than just a role.
Host an Anxiety Party. This term, as explained by Daniel Burka, describes a practice used by the Google Ventures design team. It creates a structure for bringing anxieties out in the open. It also normalizes vulnerability and uncertainty.

Have each person spend 10 minutes writing down all the work- and project-related anxieties they felt. Then go around the circle, share their biggest anxiety. Let their colleagues rank each anxiety on a scale of 0 (not troubling at all) to 5 (I strongly believe you need to improve this area).

These parties aren't about problem-solving — they gave people a structure for sharing and building trust with peers.
Start alone. Make use of pre-work, silent individual reflection, and writing down ideas prior to having a group begin brainstorming or weighing in on someone's work.

This allows people to participate equally. It also works against the "piling on" that happens when a powerful voice moves in one direction and suddenly everyone else agrees.
Share your stories. Employees follow the lead set by the leaders. When a manager shares their mistakes or struggles, the team has a model for how to share and be supportive with each other.

As Brene Brown has said, "being vulnerable isn't the same as not having a filter." As a leader, be clear about what your intent is in sharing a story. It should be to build trust and deepen your relationship with the team, not to unburden yourself.

Psychological safety doesn't just come from the top. Team members need to take responsibility for creating a better environment for each other.

Practice active listening during meetings and brainstorming sessions
Ask thought-provoking, open-ended questions
Give support and ask for support when needed
Show empathy, care, and concern for each other
Praise, encourage, and express gratitude for one another
Express their creative ideas and politely encourage others to do the same
Give each other the benefit of the doubt when expressing challenges

How to foster psychological safety in a virtual workplace

In this virtual world, you may feel like it’s harder to measure psychological safety. The pandemic forced many organizations to move their workforce remote. And even if members of a team are transitioning to hybrid work, it's likely virtual work is here to stay.

After all, meetings are all on Zoom. Communication is largely email, Slack, or other messaging platforms. And it can be difficult to gauge things like body language. You also miss out on those ad-hoc, one-off conversations or check-ins that you may traditionally have in the break room.

That’s OK. There are still ways you can foster psychological safety in a virtual workplace.

Schedule regular one-on-one meetings with your teammates. You don’t need to be a manager to schedule a one-on-one, either. But having these important check-ins reiterate that you care and want to invest time in the relationship.
Go out of your way to ask for feedback. Make it easy for employees to share their feedback. Give them plenty of opportunities to do so — and receive and respond to feedback gracefully.
Carve out time in a team meeting for meaningful conversation. It’s easy to just dive right in to work. Be intentional about raising topics that might not be work-related. Or, source topic ideas from team members that aren’t work-related.
Create asynchronous communication channels. Regardless of what time zones your employees are working from, all should have the ability to communicate with one another. At BetterUp, we use Slack for most of our team communication in this hybrid and remote environment.
Make yourself vulnerable. Again, this is easier said than done. If you’re struggling with caregiving or childcare, it’s likely someone else is, too. If you’re feeling lonely or isolated, someone else probably is feeling the same. Vulnerability is strength.

https://www.psychsafety.co.uk/psychological-safety-in-remote-teams/

Psychological Safety in Remote and Virtual Teams

· by Tom Geraghty

· in In The Workplace, Psychological Safety

· on October 30, 2020

In early 2020, due to the Covid 19 outbreak, many organisations around the world went through a sudden digital transformation and many teams became remote. With this near-instant operational pivot to virtual and remote teams, organisations and the people within them encountered new and difficult challenges such as poor internet connectivity, inadequate home offices, and trying to manage simultaneous family and work life. These challenges risked damaging psychological safety in teams, and made it harder to further build psychological safety in the workplace.

Psychological safety in the workplace (remote or co-located) provides great benefits to the team and the organisation, from improved quality to lower costs.

One of the biggest challenges is the impact of being physically distant from our teammates on our psychological wellbeing. Distributed, remote, and virtual teams have fewer opportunities for spontaneous, casual conversation; team members have more difficulty picking up non-verbal cues in conversation, and people are more likely to feel alone, anxious, unsure of what to do, and may even experience self-doubt or imposter syndrome.

Psychological safety is the number one requirement for high performing teams. Without it, a team will never achieve high performance and the members of that team will not be able to realise their full potential. Now that many of our teams are distributed and remote, psychological safety is even more difficult to build and maintain. Gibson and Gibbs in 2006 showed how psychological safety is even more crucial in mediating the performance of geographically dispersed teams through creating a safe communication climate.

Here are ten things you can do, whether you’re a leader or a member of your team, to help foster and build psychological safety, and increase the performance and happiness of your team and yourself. Download our tool kit to build psychological safety in your teams, whether virtual or remote.

Ten ways to create psychological safety in remote teams.

1. Set the stage.

We’re all going through difficult times, whether it’s financial concerns, supporting vulnerable friends and relatives or just dealing with the mental load of what’s happening in the world. Be honest about this with your team. Be explicit about the challenges ahead, and show your vulnerability. Without you showing vulnerability, your team will be unlikely to, and it’s a key part of building psychological safety. Be positive and enthusiastic about facing these challenges.

2. Make sure everyone knows what to do.

Knowing what to do, when to do it, and what good looks like is crucial for remote team members. It’s far more difficult to ask for advice or assistance when remote, and self-doubt will creep in quickly. So make sure team members know what is expected of them, and ensure that workloads and deliverables are realistic.

3. Focus on outcomes, not outputs.

Outcomes matter more than anything else. Whether your desired outcome is satisfied customers, revenue generated, uptime, or something else, focus on that, and ensure the team remain focussed on it. Resist the temptation to revert to more traditional, “lazy” styles of management by measuring outputs, lines of code written, story points completed or meetings attended. And certainly avoid falling back to input-driven management by logging hours worked – we already know that is a route to reduction of psychological safety and it’s the last thing a distributed team needs.

By keeping the team focussed on what really matters to the business, psychological safety will be improved, because team members will know that their hard work makes a difference, and they can contribute to the success of the organisation.

4. Build a culture of appreciation.

When we’re all in the same place, appreciation and thanks are much easier to communicate and tend to be passive or automatic. With distributed teams, much more effort needs to be made to ensure team members feel valued and appreciated. This means being much more explicit with appreciation, and communicating it in multiple ways such as through video calls, emails, and instant messaging. It’s very easy to forget how often we thank each other when we’re co-located, and without that culture of appreciation, psychological safety will suffer.

5. Embrace routine and ritual.

The dramatic shift in ways of working has resulted in disruption to our routines – our start and finish times, any regular meetings, and lunch breaks have all been disrupted. Routines help us as humans feel more comfortable and psychologically safe when the world around us is changing and there is so much uncertainty elsewhere.

Ritual also plays an important role in team cohesion, particularly so with distributed and remote teams. Every team will have its own rituals and ceremonies, from ringing a bell at a sprint kickoff, to having end-of-week drinks on a video call. Whatever the rituals are, keep them up in order to build psychological safety.

6. Establish work boundaries.

Work has invaded our homes and our personal space and time. It’s very easy to allow work to spread out, particularly if strict boundaries are not set. Help your team set these boundaries, and enforce and model them. This may be ensuring that team members can turn off their phones after 6pm without worrying about missing important messages, or purchasing home office equipment so they don’t need to work from their kitchen table.

To maintain psychological safety, team members need to be able to remove themselves from work and maintain their own personal, home and family space.

7. Use the many species of video call.

Video calls aren’t just for meetings. To bring back the feeling of cohesion and togetherness that is so important for psychological safety, try out different kinds of video call, such as “good morning” meetings to start the day, or by having an “always-on” watercooler style meeting where people can drop in and out as desired. Feeling more connected to team mates will build psychological safety and improve communication.

8. Be actively inclusive, or risk being passively exclusive.

In an office setting, it’s easy to see if someone is not engaged or is pulling away from the team. With a distributed team, this is far more difficult even on video calls.

A critical stage of psychological safety is “contributor safety” – everyone needs to contribute if the team is to achieve high performance, and in distributed and remote teams, if you’re not being actively inclusive, you’re risking being passively exclusive. To build psychological safety, invite participation, ask questions, and always ensure that everyone has spoken at least once before ending a meeting.

9. Adopt Hanlon’s razor.

First published in German in 1774, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe wrote in The Sorrows of Young Werther: “Misunderstandings and lethargy perhaps produce more wrong in the world than deceit and malice do. At least the latter two are certainly rarer.” A sentiment later attributed to Robert J. Hanlon, hence “Hanlon’s razor”.

That is to say, it is important to assume the best intentions. If an email or message comes across as rude, blunt, or offensive, assume it was a miscommunication or misunderstanding. If in doubt, ask for clarification, ideally via video or voice.

To avoid others falling into the same trap, embrace emojis and gifs in your communications, even if they’re not your usual style. Emojis and gifs can help build and maintain psychological safety by ensuring that your communication is received in the most positive way possible.

10. Put your own oxygen mask on first.

If you’re struggling with your own psychological safety, you will not be as effective in helping others with theirs. Find a mentor to advise and help you, eat healthily (but remember to treat yourself), exercise, meditate, and take time away from work; essentially, do whatever you know helps you maintain a happy and healthy approach and pace of work. As leaders of teams, many of us get so focused on caring for our team members that we minimise or neglect our own needs, but if you don’t look after yourself, you can’t look after others.

One of the most important and powerful things you can do as a leader is admit to your team, and your peers, when you’re struggling. Not only will this help you to obtain the support you need to get through a tough time, but it will also model and make psychologically safe the same behaviour for others.

Take your time!

Finally, be patient. These are difficult times, and it’s to be expected that we will all experience challenges that impact our psychological safety and that of our team members. Utilising the ten behaviours above will help you and your team maintain psychological safety and improve not just team performance, but happiness too. Remember, happy teams aren’t happy because they’re high performing: they’re high performing because they’re happy.

Check out how to measure psychological safety in your teams here.

Download our complete Psychological Safety Action Pack full of workshops, tools, resources, and posters to help you measure, build, and maintain Psychological Safety in your teams.

Find out more information about building psychologically safe teams, download the psychological safety action pack, which contains easy-to-use material for measuring, building and maintaining psychological safety.

https://resources.workable.com/tutorial/psychological-safety-at-work

Psychological safety – it’s a learning curve

The road to psychological safety is not a straight one; a leader has to deal with their own flaws and emotions to empathize with others and that’s not an easy task. But as you can see it’s worth the struggle. Open up, allow yourself to be vulnerable and accept that you don’t always have to say the last word – this will empower your teammates, make them feel safer and happier, and more productive over time.

https://www.betterup.com/blog/why-psychological-safety-at-work-matters

Make psychological safety a priority

Your organization should be a workplace for learning, innovation, and growth. That learning and growth hinges on interpersonal trust, self-awareness, and psychological safety.

Psychological safety shouldn’t be a "nice to have" job perk. It should be a vital part of every company’s culture and future.

In the workplace, team psychological safety must be a top priority if businesses want to create a successful enterprise. And, more importantly, psychological safety contributes to an inclusive, diverse, and accepting workplace. A workplace where team members feel safe to express themselves.

At the end of the day, the mark of a good company is its team members.

………………………………………………………………………………………..

what is psychological safety

Psychological safety is the feeling of being free from fear, intimidation, and harassment. It encourages people to be themselves and speak up when they feel uncomfortable. It creates a supportive and nurturing environment where people feel comfortable to share their thoughts, feelings, and experiences without fear of negative repercussions.

How psychological safety is created

When people are psychologically safe, they are able to be themselves. They don't have to worry about potentialnegative consequencesfor sharing their honest thoughts or feelings. This open communicationpromotes creativity and innovationas well as healthy personal development. People who feel emotionally safe can also trust in their own capabilities, which can lead to increased confidence and self-esteem.

How psychological safety can be lost

When people feel psychologically unsafe, they may worry about what others will think of them or say to them. This fear can inhibit their ability to be themselvesand promote negative social interactions. In addition, people who are psychologically unsafe often don't feel ableto share challenging thoughts or feelings for fear that they won't be heard or accepted. As a result, they may not be able to resolve conflicts or problems confidentially or productively.

psychological safety model

The psychological safety model is a theory in psychology that explains how people communicate and interact when they are feeling safe and comfortable. The model suggests that humans are most likely to be open and honest with each other when there is a sense of mutual trust, understanding, comfort, and respect. When these conditions exist, people are more likely to freely share their thoughts, feelings, fears, and emotions. The psychological safety model was developed in the late 1970s by psychologists Robin Dunbar and Angela Lansbury. The psychological safety model is often used to explain how people communicate in groups. It is also sometimes used to evaluate the level of communication within organizations. The model has been applied to a variety of settings, including businesses, classrooms, and patient-care facilities. The psychological safety model is based on the premise that humans are social animals. We need to feel safe and comfortable in order to communicate freely. To feel safe, we must be able to trust the people around us. To trust someone, we need to believe that they will not harm us or twist our words maliciously. When we feel safe and comfortable, we are likely to be open and honest with each other.

The psychological safety model is divided into three phases: initiation, maintenance, and termination. In the initiation phase, people explore their shared space by saying hello and making small talk. This stage is important because it builds trust. People in the maintenance phase are likely to be talking about specific topics that interest them. The goal of this stage is to maintain the level of communication by avoiding boring conversations and discussing new information. In the termination phase, people transition from being friends

what is the purpose of psychological safety

The main purposes of psychological safety are to protect people from feeling too threatened or judged by others, and to create a supportive environment in which people can express themselves freely. When someone feels safe and comfortable expressing themselves, they are more likely to feel uninhibited, open-minded, and confident in their thoughts and actions. This can lead to improved communication and cooperation among group members. Additionally, psychological safety can provide a foundation for treatment discussion or support groups that address sensitive subjects.

what are the stages of psychological safety

The four stages of psychological safety are Rapport, Confidence, Connectedness, and Efficacy.

Rapport is when people feel satisfied with the level of communication and mutual understanding between them. It leads to a feeling of comfort and security, which helps participants open up more freely.

Confidence is reached when participants trust that the other person will not use their words or actions to harm or embarrass them. This allows them to be more open and candid in their communication, which can lead to improved teamwork.

Connectedness is when participants feel a deep connection with the other person, characterized by mutual respect and trust. This leads to joint ventures and decisions that are based on shared values rather than self-interest.

Efficacy is reached when participants believe that their contributions result in positive outcomes for the group as a whole. They are motivated to continue working together because they see the value in it.

Generally, psychological safety refers to the conditions in which someone feels comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings with others. It can be thought of as a precursor to effective communication, and is often an important factor in encouraging healthy collaboration.

The concept of psychological safety has been widely studied within the field of organizational behavior, and there are several different models that have been proposed to explain its origins and dynamics. The most common model suggests that psychological safety arises from four stages: feeling understood, feeling competent, feeling safe, and trusting.

Feeling understood refers to the situation in which colleagues feel that they know enough about each other to be able to have candid conversations. This is often accomplished through regular communication and a shared understanding of the goals of the organization.

Feeling competent refers to colleagues' belief that they are able to contribute effectively and productively within the given context. This can be fostered through training and development programs that emphasize the importance of professional skills.

Feeling safe refers to colleagues' sense of security regarding their own safety and the safety of their data. This can be accomplished through effective security measures, as well as a solid organizational culture that rejects violence or aggression.

Lastly, trusting refers to colleagues' willingness to share personal information in order to build better relationships. This is typically achieved through shared values and norms, as well as a strong leadership presence that promotes transparency and trust.

While psychological safety is an important factor in collaborative work, it can also be a vulnerability if not managed carefully. When feelings of security are undermined, employees may feel defensive and less inclined to contribute their best efforts. Additionally, when the boundaries between personal and professional life are blurred, employees may hesitate to share confidential information fearing that it could be used against them later on. In order to avoid these situations, it is important to create a culture that values openness and communication while simultaneously reinforcing the boundary between work and personal life.

psychological safety by Amy Edmondson

-Preparatory Stage: This is the first and essential stage where all parties involved recognize that there may be some tension or discomfort in the room, but they are willing to work through it.

-Confrontational Stage: During this stage, individuals may challenge each other's ideas and perspectives, but must exercise prudence so as not to cause too much stress. While disagreements are expected and encouraged, any behavior that feels threatening or destructive will be discouraged.

-Cooperative Stage: During this stage, all parties feel comfortable engaging with each other and working towards common goals. They are able to openly share their thoughts and feelings without fear of judgement or confrontation. -Reflective Stage: At this stage, all individuals are able to review the experience and analyze how they could have done things better. They strive to create a safe environment where people can be themselves without fear of reprisal.

how can you promote psychological safety a virtual workplace

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the best way to promote psychological safety depends on the individual circumstances and culture of the workplace. However, some tips that could be useful include creating a positive environment where employees feel comfortable speaking up if they feel uncomfortable or unsafe, offering constructive feedback in a non-judgemental manner, and ensuring that all employees have access to support services if they need them. It is also important to be aware of the potential risks associated with psychological safety, and whether or not they are a concern for your workplace. If you think that there may be any risks associated with psychological safety, it is important to take those concerns seriously and address them head-on.

stages of psychological safety

psychological safety by Amy Edmondson

-Preparatory Stage: This is the first and essential stage where all parties involved recognize that there may be some tension or discomfort in the room, but they are willing to work through it.

what are the stages of psychological safety

The four stages of psychological safety are Rapport, Confidence, Connectedness, and Efficacy.

psychological safety- key to great teamwork

Psychological safety is the key to great teamwork. It's the feeling of being safe and comfortable to share ideas and be yourself with your co-workers. It creates a positive environment in which people feel able to express their thoughts, fears, and uncertainties without fear of negative consequences. psychological safety allows for better communication, creativity, problem solving, and team work. It's essential for a productive and safe work environment. There are a few things that you can do to create psychological safety:

1. Make sure everyone is aware of the policy and how it works. Give posters or pamphlets out explaining the concept to everyone in the team.

2. Be open and honest about your feelings and thoughts - Everyone has fears, doubts, and anxieties - be willing to share them with your team mates. This will help build trust which is key to psychological safety.

3. Avoid putting people down - It's easy to say something negative about another person without thinking, and this can lead to feelings of anger, resentment and hostility. Instead, try to be constructive and offer advice or suggestions for improvement. 4. Be supportive - If someone feels upset or uncomfortable, be supportive and try to help them deal with the issue. This will help them feel more confident and in control of the situation.

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psychological safety

Benefits[edit]

What is psychological safety?

https://newageleadership.com/psychological-safety-at-work-why-you-need-it-and-how-to-develop-it/ Google’s quest to figure out what makes teams successful

To quote Michael Jordan – Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.

Do you remember the Colombia space shuttle disaster?

Boeing 737 Max problems & lack of psychological safety at work

1- Increased Innovation

2- Better Reliability and Performance

3- Better Health and Safety, and Security

4- Higher Employee Retention and Lower Churn

5- Improved Company Reputation

6- Increased Profitability and Bottom-line Improvements

7- Most importantly, happiness.

The 4 stages of psychological safety

Stage 1: Inclusion safety

Stage 2: Learner safety

Stage 3: Contributor safety

Stage 4: Challenger safety

6 tips for fostering psychological safety in your workplace

1. Practice active listening and curiosity

2. Promote respect

3. Lead by example

4. Embrace vulnerability

5. Foster an open conversation (with a growth mindset)

6. Empower from a place of privilege

Ways to foster psychological safety

Final thoughts: Psychological safety in remote and hybrid teams

1. Don’t let people disappear

2. Encourage people to share their perspectives

3. Lose the militaristic language

4. Ask employees what they need

5. Speak openly about mistakes

How team members can promote psychological safety at work

How to foster psychological safety in a virtual workplace

Psychological Safety in Remote and Virtual Teams

Ten ways to create psychological safety in remote teams.

1. Set the stage.

2. Make sure everyone knows what to do.

3. Focus on outcomes, not outputs.

4. Build a culture of appreciation.

5. Embrace routine and ritual.

6. Establish work boundaries.

7. Use the many species of video call.

8. Be actively inclusive, or risk being passively exclusive.

9. Adopt Hanlon’s razor.

10. Put your own oxygen mask on first.

Take your time!

Psychological safety – it’s a learning curve

https://www.betterup.com/blog/why-psychological-safety-at-work-matters

Make psychological safety a priority

what is psychological safety

psychological safety model

what are the stages of psychological safety

psychological safety by Amy Edmondson

how can you promote psychological safety a virtual workplace

stages of psychological safety

psychological safety by Amy Edmondson

what are the stages of psychological safety

psychological safety- key to great teamwork

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https://newageleadership.com/psychological-safety-at-work-why-you-need-it-and-how-to-develop-it/
Google’s quest to figure out what makes teams successful