How Leaders Build (or Betray) Psychological Safety

Psychological safety in business refers to the perception of an individual or a group that they feel safe to share potentially unpopular opinions or alternative perspectives, they feel comfortable bringing their authentic selves into the working environment, they feel certain that they can do these things without fear of negative consequences to their career or status withing the group. It is the feeling of being able to express oneself openly, to freely acknowledge when mistakes occur, and to voice dissenting opinions without fear of retaliation, ridicule, or ostracism. In short, psychological safety is a feeling that one can speak up, be heard, and respected without being criticized or punished for it.

Psychological safety has been shown to be a critical factor in fostering employee engagement, team collaboration, individual creativity, and innovation. It is particularly important in high-stress and uncertain environments, where individuals may feel vulnerable and need to trust their colleagues to support them, especially their leaders.

Some of the potential outcomes when employees do not feel emotionally safe in their work environment include:

• Reduced engagement: Employees who do not feel safe are often less engaged in their work and may not feel as invested in the company's success.
• Fear of speaking up: When employees do not feel emotionally safe, they are less likely to speak up and share their ideas or concerns, even when it is important to do so.
• Decreased productivity: A lack of emotional safety leads to stress, anxiety, and other negative emotions that can affect productivity and performance.
• Higher turnover rates: Employees who do not feel safe are more likely to leave the company, which can lead to higher turnover rates and associated costs.
• Negative impact on mental health: A work environment that does not promote emotional safety can have a negative impact on employees' mental health, leading to stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues.
• Impact on physical health: The stress and anxiety associated with a lack of emotional safety can also have physical health consequences, such as increased risk of cardiovascular disease and other health problems.

So it is important for leaders to create a work culture that promotes emotional safety to ensure the well-being and productivity of their employees. When workers feel safe to express their ideas and opinions without fear of criticism, they are more likely to work together and collaborate effectively. Psychological safety encourages workers to think outside the box and generate new ideas, leading to greater innovation and creativity. When employees feel safe and supported, they are more likely to be engaged and productive, resulting in higher quality work and increased output. When they feel psychologically safe, employees are more likely to stay with the company, reducing turnover rates and associated costs. A workplace with a culture of psychological safety fosters a positive work environment that is conducive to employee well-being and job satisfaction.

...our modern work environment often generates more fear and uncertainty than leaders realize.

But this is often easier said than done. Because our modern work environment often generates more fear and uncertainty than leaders realize. When you lay off one employee (even for a reasonable cause) others notice and wonder if they might be next. When one employee gets a promotion (even a well-earned one) others notice and ask “why not me?” If an employee is criticized for poor performance, rather than supported to improve their performance, others notice and worry “could I be next?” When an employee shares a unique idea, opinion or point of view, people notice how leaders react. People notice if leaders have “favorites.” They notice if other “pay a price” for being contrary or expressing an opinion that is different from the leaders – or different from the group’s consensus opinion.

In short, people are ALWAYS watching for potential signs that the work environment my be less than safe. This is part of our human nature.

Feelings of fear are probably the most important survival feature our brain has ever evolved. How does your brain decide to induce fear? This critical task is processed by a small almond-shaped structure, the amygdala, which lies deep within the bottom of the brain, not far from your ears. The amygdala receives information from many brain regions, your internal organs, and external sensory systems, such as your eyes and ears. The amygdala integrates this information with various internal drives, such as whether you are hungry or thirsty, or in pain; it then assigns a level of emotional significance to whatever is going on.

For example, when the amygdala becomes aware that you are alone and hearing unfamiliar sounds in the dark, it initiates a fear response, such as panic or anxiety. It then activates the appropriate body systems, the release of hormones, and specific behaviors to respond to the (real or imagined) threat. The amygdala also is activated by sensory stimuli that seem ambiguous or unfamiliar to us, such as unfamiliar sounds or people. In response to ambiguous or unfamiliar stimuli, we become vigilant and pay closer attention to what is happening in our immediate environment. If you were a dog, your ears would perk up. Your amygdala gathers as much sensory information as possible, compares it to what you already know, and then instructs other brain regions to respond.

Almost without fail, and regardless of the nature of the information gathered by your vigilant brain, the amygdala usually comes to the same conclusion: be afraid and prepare to fight. If a sensory event, such as a sight or sound or taste, is unfamiliar, or it sees that other humans are responding with fearful responses; your brain almost always assumes that the situation is potentially dangerous and should be treated as such. If everything is assumed to be dangerous until proven otherwise, you are much more likely to survive the experience and pass on your be-fearful-first genes. Thus, humans fear everything that is unfamiliar or not-like-me: we fear people who look or dress differently, unfamiliar places, unfamiliar odors, things that go bump in the night, people who stare at us for too long, heights, enclosed small spaces, dark alleys, unknown people who follow us, etc. You get the idea.

So for every one of us, our instinctive response is to assume that a work environment IS NOT SAFE unless we are clearly SHOWN otherwise.

When we OBSERVE the following characteristics in a work environment, this tends to improve our feeling of psychological safety:

• Open communication: In a psychologically safe work environment, there is open communication, and people feel comfortable expressing their opinions, ideas, and feelings without fear of retribution.
• Constructive feedback: People in a psychologically safe work environment provide feedback constructively, focusing on improvement and growth, rather than criticism or blame.
• Mutual respect: A psychologically safe work environment values mutual respect and recognizes that everyone has unique perspectives, experiences, and talents that contribute to the success of the organization.
• Inclusiveness: A psychologically safe work environment values diversity and inclusiveness and provides opportunities for everyone to participate and contribute.
• Shared accountability: People in a psychologically safe work environment take shared accountability for their actions and decisions, rather than placing blame on others.
• Willingness to take risks: In a psychologically safe work environment, people are willing to take calculated risks and make mistakes without fear of retribution or punishment.

When we observe these things in our own work environment, our instinct tells us that it is likely that this place is safe for sharing our true thoughts and authentic perspective. However, we all tend to approach any new work situation with caution, especially if we are unsure about the level of psychological safety. Most of us start by testing the waters with small conversations and gradually build up to more significant discussions as we build trust and confidence in our colleagues and leaders.

As a leader, creating and reinforcing psychological safety requires your intentional effort to build trust, open communication, and a culture of respect and inclusiveness.

Here are some keys to being the kind of leader who creates psychological safety for employees:

• Lead by example: Leaders must model the behavior they want to see in their employees. They should be open and transparent in their communication, admit their mistakes, and show vulnerability to create a culture of trust. Always know that your actions and reactions to others are under a microscope – much more than what you say, what you DO will either create a culture of psychological safety, or one of doubt, uncertainty and fear.
• Encourage open communication: Leaders should encourage open communication and create opportunities for employees to share their thoughts and ideas without fear of retribution. How you personally react when employees disagree with you will be watched carefully by everyone else.
• Listen actively: Active listening is critical to creating psychological safety. Leaders should actively listen to their employees, acknowledge their feelings, and respond with empathy. Show employees that you are present in the moment with them, and that you are not distracted by numerous other things on your mind.
• Recognize and appreciate employees' contributions: Leaders should recognize and appreciate their employees' contributions to create a positive and supportive work environment. What (and who) you recognize gets noticed. What (and who) you recognize gets interpreted by others. So pay close attention to what (and who) you recognize.
• Foster a culture of learning: Foster a culture of continuous learning, encourage experimentation and taking calculated risks, and create opportunities for employees to learn and grow.
• Be inclusive: Create a work environment that values diversity and inclusiveness, not just racial, gender and sexual orientation, but the full range of human diversity – all the dimensions of what makes each of us a unique human being.
• ASK for feedback and respond constructively when it is received: Don’t be afraid to ask “how am I doing?” and truly seek authentic answers. Respond constructively to feedback from their employees, demonstrating a willingness to learn and grow. Again, they will notice what you DO, not just what you say.

In summary, being the kind of leader who creates psychological safety requires creating a culture of trust, open communication, and respect. Leaders must model the behavior they want to see, encourage open communication, listen actively, recognize employees' contributions, foster a culture of learning, be inclusive, and respond constructively to feedback. By doing so, they can create a positive and supportive work environment that promotes employee well-being, engagement, and productivity.