Psychological safety is the new buzzword in the organizational space.
As per Amy Edmondson Harvard Business School Professor and the person who literally coined this term “Psychological Safety is a belief that one will not be punished or humiliated for speaking up”.
Colm Murphy in a recent webinar defined psychological safety as a “Felt sense in the moment” – How safe is a team member feels about expressing themselves at that time.
This definition implies that psychological safety is not static and needs to be constantly reinforced.
Why psychological safety is important?
With all the conversations happening on social media about psychological safety it is important to understand why organizations and leaders should focus on this aspect.
As per a 2017 Gallup report when organizations focus on increasing psychological safety it increases productivity by as much as 12%.
Google in its Project Aristotle to create the perfect team found that Psychological Safety is the most critical factor in a team’s performance.
Based on these studies it is easy to connect the dots on these findings. Human beings require safety to be creative and to learn. Children who come from abusive or broken homes are more likely to perform badly at school.
As adults when we don’t feel psychologically safe at work we tend to focus more on guarding our interests, playing safe and keeping distance instead of focussing on the collective good. When we do feel safe however we focus the same energies on our performance.
How leaders can build psychological safety in their teams
Surprisingly, the path to psychological safety in a team is very simple but also easy to miss out. Here are some simple ways that a leader could build psychological safety in the team.
Encourage people to speak up
Focus on drawing out opinions and answers from the less vocal members of the team. Ensure meetings are not overrun by the more dominant forces and everyone gets a chance to speak. Handle questions however basic with respect. It is better for people to clarify doubts than to work despite them.
Encourage diverse opinions
Encourage people to think and voice opinions that are different from your own. When a difference of opinion is expressed be open to exploring it and appreciate the thinking even if you do not agree. Build self-awareness on how you would like to handle dissent.
Encourage listening in the team
Showcase active listening by practicing it as a leader when a team member is speaking. Give people your complete attention and encourage others to do the same. Listen to understand and not to answer. Be curious.
Show how failure is handled
When a failure does occur use it as a teachable moment. Avoid blaming and build ownership and accountability. Encourage people to learn from mistakes – their own as well as others.
Encourage asking for help
Encourage people to ask for help from you and each other. Admit when you don’t know something and ask for others to help you.