How I develop psychological safety in teams as a team coach

As a team coach, I understand the critical importance of psychological safety in creating high-performing teams and organizations. Psychological safety is the belief that one can take interpersonal risks without fear of negative consequences. This concept, developed by Dr. Amy Edmondson and further validated by Google's Project Aristotle, is the most crucial factor in team performance.

The Importance of Psychological Safety in Teams

Creating a psychologically safe environment isn't just about making people feel good; it's about driving tangible business outcomes. Teams with high psychological safety are more innovative, learn from mistakes more effectively, report concerns more readily, and have higher employee engagement. This translates to faster time-to-market, higher quality products, decreased risk of security or compliance incidents, lower turnover rates, and ultimately, increased profitability.

To build psychological safety, measuring where your team currently stands is essential. Sometimes, I use a survey with ten key statements that team members rate on a five-point scale. These statements cover areas such as understanding expectations, valuing outcomes over outputs, feeling safe to make mistakes, bringing up tough issues, and having one's unique skills valued:

1. On this team, I understand what is expected of me.
2. We value outcomes more than outputs or inputs, and nobody needs to "look busy".
3. If I make a mistake on this team, it is never held against me.
4. We work as a team to find the systemic cause when something goes wrong.
5. All team members feel able to bring up problems and tough issues.
6. Members of this team never reject others for being different, and nobody is left out.
7. It is safe for me to take a risk on this team.
8. It is easy for me to ask other team members for help.
9. Nobody on this team would deliberately act in a way that undermines my efforts.
10. My unique skills and talents are valued and utilised in my work as part of this team.

Running a Team Performance Workshop

After conducting the survey, I analyze the results to identify areas for improvement. Low scores or wide ranges in responses indicate potential issues. I then use a Post-Survey Action Guide to implement targeted strategies for improvement. For example, if team members don't feel safe making mistakes, I suggest that team leaders start openly discussing their mistakes and what they have learned. The purpose is to implement root cause analyses focusing on systemic issues rather than individual blame.

The Psychological Safety Performance Workshop is particularly effective for short-term or new teams. This exercise plots psychological safety against the drive to perform, creating four quadrants: Apathy, Comfort Zone, Anxiety, and High Performance. Having team members anonymously place themselves on this chart allows us to discuss where we are as a team and where we want to be.

I've found that transparency is critical throughout this process. I will share with my team why we're doing these exercises and how we're using the results. This openness helps build trust and shows that I'm committed to creating a better work environment for everyone.

It's also crucial to address any behaviors that undermine psychological safety quickly and decisively. This might include shutting down blame games, ensuring credit is given where it's due, or addressing instances where team members are excluded or dismissed.

Another powerful tool I use is "The Fear Conversation." This exercise allows team members to voice their work-related fears in a supportive environment. We then collaboratively develop mitigation strategies for these fears and establish a "Target Norm" - the team's ideal state. This helps address specific concerns and builds trust and openness within the team.

For remote or distributed teams, I pay extra attention to ensuring everyone feels included and heard. This might involve using specific tools for remote meetings, scheduling one-on-ones more frequently, or finding creative ways to build team cohesion across distances.

Team Psychological Safety is an Ongoing Journey

It's important to note that building psychological safety is an ongoing process, not a one-time fix. I revisit these exercises regularly, especially after periods of change or significant projects. I also strive to model the behaviors I want to see, such as admitting my own mistakes, asking for help, and showing appreciation when team members take intelligent risks.

When implementing these strategies, I remember that psychological safety doesn't mean lowering standards or avoiding difficult conversations. On the contrary, it enables higher standards by creating an environment where people feel safe to innovate, take measured risks, and speak up about potential issues.

My goal as a team coach is to create a team culture where everyone feels safe to be themselves, speak up, take risks, and fully contribute their unique skills and perspectives. This leads to happier, more engaged employees and drives better business outcomes. It's a win-win situation that makes the client's organization more innovative, resilient, and successful in the long run.

My name is c.j. and I'm a Sales Leadership Team Coach. I help sales teams and leaders develop strategies to dominate their markets, outmaneuver the competition, and come out on top. No excuses, no compromises. Just pure, unadulterated victory.