#14: Fostering Psychological Safety in Teams

Welcome to the 14th edition of The MAD Performance Newsletter, in which I'll share thoughts and resources that can help you towards a more Mindful and Deliberate way of approaching life, leadership, learning and high performance.

Creating an environment of psychological safety within a team is essential for fostering a culture of open communication and innovation.

What's interesting is that in my work, many people say, we can only talk about mistakes, or share ideas when there's a sense of psychological safety, which I agree with - to a point. I like to push back and suggest we can only build psychological safety when we talk about mistakes or share ideas. In that spirit, I offer the following...

Establish Clear Communication Guidelines

Start by setting the tone for communication. Leaders should model the behavior they wish to see by actively listening and responding constructively to team input. Establishing clear guidelines that promote respectful and supportive interactions helps eliminate misunderstandings and builds trust among team members.

Encourage Equitable Participation

Ensure that all team members have an opportunity to contribute. This can be facilitated through structured meetings where everyone is invited to share ideas and feedback. Use round-robin sharing or brainstorming sessions where contributions are anonymously submitted to prevent any bias and to give quieter team members a voice.

Normalise the Discussion of Mistakes

Create an environment where it is safe to talk about mistakes without fear of reprimand. This approach not only promotes learning from errors but also demystifies failure, showing that it is a natural part of the growth process. Leaders should lead by example, sharing their own mistakes and the lessons learned to encourage others to do the same.

Provide Positive Reinforcement

When team members take risks or speak up, recognize and reinforce these behaviours positively. This reinforcement can be as simple as thanking someone for their input or more formal recognition in team settings. Positive reinforcement encourages a culture of openness and continuous improvement.

Develop a Feedback-Rich Culture

Encourage regular, constructive feedback within the team. Feedback should be specific, actionable, and delivered in a way that underscores its intent to help the recipient grow. Training team members on how to give and receive feedback effectively can help ensure that it is perceived as a tool for development rather than criticism.

Conclusion

Building psychological safety is a strategic process that requires consistent effort from everyone in the team, especially from leaders. By implementing these strategies, teams can create a supportive environment that promotes high performance, fosters innovation, and enhances collaboration.