Psychological Safety
As part of The Leadership Collective, The Wilder Library hosted a discussion around “The Fearless Organization” by Amy C. Edmondson, Professor of Leadership and Management at Harvard Business School. In her work, she encourages the concept of psychological safety—”A belief that one will not be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes, and that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking.”
Essential questions to gauge psychological safety in your team include:
If you make a mistake on your team, is it held against you?
Are you able to bring up problems and tough issues?
Do people on the team sometimes reject others for being different?
Is it safe to take a risk?
Is it difficult to ask other team members for help?
Do people on the team deliberately act to undermine your efforts?
Are your unique skills and talents valued and utilized?
It may feel daunting to understand how to grow the safety in your team, or establish safety in your team.
What does a fearless organization look like? Amy C. Edmondson asserts, based upon her research conducted for “The Fearless Organization”, that characteristics of a psychologically-safe team include the following: freedom to make mistakes, take risks, voice tough issues, and healthy collaboration with teammates.
Carlene Blanding, VP of Human Resources / Integrated Supply Chain at Shaw Industries, served as the moderator for our discussion. She offered her perspective around the concept of psychological safety, and invited the group to share their reflections upon the work, as well as their personal experiences.
Leaders discussed the key elements of culture, leadership, mindsets, reward systems, and processes as mechanisms of creating psychological safety within their organization. Everyone brought up the importance of psychological safety—but many noted the difficulty of achieving this culture.
Jenny Wells, Studio & Leadership Program Manager at Bridge Innovate®, notes that without a sense of safety and permission to use one’s voice, people will not speak up about mistakes being made on a manufacturing floor or in patient care. Not reporting small, but impactful errors can lead to drastic—or even fatal—outcomes. People will choose personal safety and avoid risk of punishment or embarrassment in a psychologically-unsafe setting. The only way to counter that sense of risk is to invite questions, provide multiple channels, etc. As leaders, it is key to model humility and the willingness to be corrected.
Another characteristic of a psychologically-unsafe setting is when team members do not challenge the status quo, or avoid conflict at all cost. Constructive conflict, and challenging the process leads to innovation. Innovation thrives where failure, rapid feedback, comfort with ambiguity, and problem-solving are encouraged and nurtured. Organizations create a culture of psychological safety by setting expectations early and often welcoming candid feedback, and through normalizing transparent communication. Offering transparency and clear communication across the organization encourages members to address tough issues, or differing points-of-view with ease.
All of these points lead to collaboration that is rich with ideation, the inclusion of differing perspectives and experiences, and growth. Most significantly, a culture of psychological safety champions the dignity and value of each person on the team. The idea of fearlessness is key to Amy C. Edmondson’s thesis. Because safety is countered by fear. A person with fear is inhibited in their creativity, innovation, and team orientation. Fearless culture nurtures learning, engenders shared goals, and increases the confidence within each member.
During the conversation at the Wilder Library, it was made abundantly clear that psychological safety is of the utmost importance to leaders in the region. Everyone agreed with Amy C. Edmondson’s conclusion that psychological safety and courage are two sides of the same (immensely valuable) coin. Both are—and will continue to be—needed in a complex and uncertain world.
We appreciate everyone who joined us for the Wilder Library at Bridge Innovate®! Thank you for demonstrating the courage to speak up, ask questions, and bring your authentic selves.
How can the Studio at Bridge Innovate help your team align around your shared values? Contact us to schedule a tour or reserve your space.