Psychological Safety
A Critical Intersection
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As a professor at Harvard Business School, Amy first identified the concept of psychological safety in work teams in 1999. She is currently Professor of Leadership at Harvard Business School. She is the author of seven books and more than 75 articles and case studies. She is best known for her pioneering work on psychological safety, which has helped spawn a large body of academic research in management, healthcare and education over the past 15 years. Her books include "Right Kind of Wrong, the Science of Failing Well", “The Fearless Organization, Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth” and “Teaming: How Organizations Learn, Innovate and Compete in the Knowledge Economy”.
It turns out that no one wakes up in the morning and jumps out of bed because they can’t wait to get to work today to look ignorant, incompetent, intrusive or negative, right? No, on average we’d prefer to look smart and helpful and, you know, positive and helpful.
So the good news about all this is that it’s very easy to manage.
Don’t want to look ignorant? Don’t ask questions.
Don’t want to look incompetent? Don’t admit weakness or mistake.
Don’t want to look intrusive? Don’t offer ideas.
And if you don’t want to look negative, by all means, don’t criticize the status quo.
Psychological Safety
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Psychological safety, a term coined by Amy Edmondson in the 1990s, refers to an individual's perception of the consequences of taking an interpersonal risk. It is a belief that one will not be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes. This concept is crucial in the workplace, as it allows for moderate risk-taking, speaking one's mind, creativity, and sticking one’s neck out without fear of having it cut off.
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Fearless Dialogue: Feeling safe to voice opinions, even if they're unpopular, without fear of judgment or reprisals. This allows for diverse perspectives and problem-solving breakthroughs.
Embracing Vulnerability: Owning mistakes and uncertainties fosters authentic connections and reduces the pressure to maintain a "perfect" facade.
Inclusive Participation: Ensuring everyone feels valued and their contributions matter, regardless of seniority or background.
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Open Communication: Transparent information flow and active listening build trust and understanding, preventing isolation and burnout from knowledge silos.
Constructive Feedback: A culture of supportive feedback, where errors are seen as learning opportunities, fuels growth and enhances confidence.
Shared Accountability: Collective ownership of goals and responsibilities distributes workload and fosters a sense of community, lessening personal burdens.
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Supportive Leadership: Leaders who exhibit empathy, vulnerability, and open communication model the desired behavior and create a trusting environment.
Respectful Interactions: Treating colleagues with kindness and acknowledging their efforts foster positive interpersonal dynamics, which are crucial for well-being.
Celebrating Team Wins: Recognition for collective achievements reinforces the importance of collaboration and strengthens bonds, counteracting burnout's isolating tendencies.
Unique Challenges
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The daily grind for tech professionals often involves juggling intense pressure with rapidly evolving landscapes. Studies show that heavy workloads and tight deadlines consistently top the list of stressors, leaving many feeling overwhelmed and under-resourced. The ever-present pressure to stay ahead of the curve in this fast-paced industry fuels constant learning and adaptation, which can become mentally draining. Additionally, communication challenges within complex teams and across diverse stakeholders can add to the burden, requiring strong emotional intelligence and conflict management skills. The blurring lines between work and personal life, further amplified by remote work culture, often lead to difficulty disconnecting and achieving healthy work-life balance. Moreover, lack of transparency and communication from leadership can breed distrust and uncertainty, contributing to a stressful and demotivating work environment.
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Studies show that when employees feel unsafe speaking up about challenges, workload, or personal struggles, they tend to bottle up stress and anxiety, leading to emotional exhaustion and cynicism. This silence also hinders collaboration and problem-solving, which can snowball into work overload and feelings of ineffectiveness, key drivers of burnout. Additionally, research suggests that when employees don't trust their colleagues or leaders, they experience higher levels of cortisol, a stress hormone linked to burnout symptoms. Furthermore, a lack of psychological safety can lead to isolation and decreased social support, essential buffers against burnout. Conversely, studies consistently demonstrate that environments with high psychological safety, where open communication and supportive relationships flourish, significantly decrease burnout rates and foster well-being. So, the evidence is clear: psychological safety is not just a feel-good concept, it's a critical factor in preventing burnout and promoting workplace health.
Impact on Professionals
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Research by Amy Edmondson at Harvard Business School points out that such teams experience an increase in innovation. This powerful effect stems from several key factors:
Unleashing divergent thinking: When team members feel safe, they're more likely to share unconventional ideas, even if they seem "crazy" at first. This diverse spectrum of perspectives fuels brainstorming and sparks groundbreaking solutions.
Embracing constructive criticism: A sense of psychological safety encourages team members to provide honest feedback on each other's work, promoting iterative improvement and preventing tunnel vision.
Fostering learning and experimentation: Fear of failure can stifle exploration and experimentation, crucial for tech teams navigating a dynamic landscape. Psychological safety provides the freedom to test new ideas without fear of repercussions, enabling rapid prototyping and adaptation.
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Building psychological safety in tech teams requires intentional leadership to foster an environment where innovation, collaboration, and learning thrive. Leaders can cultivate this crucial element through several evidence-based practices:
Embrace vulnerability: Admitting mistakes and seeking feedback shows team members it's safe to do the same, encouraging honest, open communication.
Nurture open dialogue: Promote regular team retrospectives, brainstorming sessions, and asynchronous feedback channels like suggestion boxes.
Champion "learning failures": Normalize mistakes as opportunities to learn and grow. Encourage experimentation and celebrate learnings from unsuccessful attempts.
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Google explored the secrets of effective teams. The re:Work guide Understand team effectiveness provides the result of this research; five common factors that determine team effectiveness, in order of importance:
Psychological safety
Dependability
Structure and clarity
Meaning
Impact
In a team with high psychological safety, teammates feel safe to take risks around their team members. They feel confident that no one on the team will embarrass or punish anyone else for admitting a mistake, asking a question, or offering a new idea.
