Psychological Safety, And Why It’s Never Been More Important

So… What is Psychological Safety?

There are plenty of definitions out there, but two have really shaped my thinking.
Amy Edmondson, the widely recognised “godmother” of psychological safety, defines it as:

“A belief that one will not be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes.”

But I personally gravitate toward William Kahn’s definition:

“The ability to show and employ one’s self without fear of negative consequences to self-image, status, or career.”

Why do I prefer Kahn’s version? Because it reflects what I see daily: people often stay silent not only because they fear punishment, but because they fear looking “stupid”, being seen as difficult, or losing credibility.

If you’ve ever bitten your tongue in a meeting because you didn’t want to look like the only one who “didn’t get it” – that’s psychological safety not being present.

Why Business Leaders Should Care

Let me cut straight to it: psychological safety isn’t fluffy. It’s not about being nice. It’s not about avoiding tough conversations.

It’s about creating a high performance culture

Here are a couple of stats that still amaze me:

Google’s research on high-performing teams

Google ran a massive global study to figure out why some teams outperformed others. And it wasn’t IQ. It wasn’t skills mix. One of the biggest differentiators was, in fact, psychological safety.

Teams where people freely raised problems, asked questions, or challenged assumptions simply performed better.

Gallup’s State of the Workplace Survey (2024)

Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace survey found…

• Only 23% of employees globally are engaged.
• 62% are not engaged at all.
• 15% are actively disengaged — in other words, potential saboteurs.

But when organisations increase psychological safety and engagement…

• Absenteeism drops by 78%
• Turnover reduces by 51%
• Productivity increases between 17–23%

If you’re a leader who wants better performance, innovation, retention, or simply fewer headaches? Psychological safety is your starting point.

Does Your Organisation Have a Psychological Safety Problem?

There’s one simple litmus test:

When something goes wrong – does anyone speak up?

• If mistakes happen and everyone ducks for cover…
• If people only ever bring you good news…
• If no one asks hard questions in meetings…

…then you’ve got a psychological safety gap.

True psychological safety looks like someone confidently saying: “That was me – here’s what happened.” No defensiveness. No panic. No blame.

So, Where Does a Leader Start?

Honestly? It starts with you. If you’re the leader, your behaviour sets the tone for everyone else. Here are some simple but powerful starting moves:

1. Share your own mistakes

Not performatively – but sincerely.

I once worked with a director who stood in front of 60 people and admitted:

“The first time I led a change programme, every decision I made was about making me and my team look good.”

The room relaxed. People opened up. Because when the leader goes first, others follow.

2. Tell people where you made the wrong call

Something as simple as:

• “I should’ve supported you better in that project.”
• “I rushed that decision.”
• “I didn’t handle that conversation well.”

These moments build trust faster than any leadership workshop.

3. Make honesty a “safe” move

When someone raises a tricky point, back them.
When someone asks a “basic” question, thank them.
And if someone is struggling to voice something, help them:

“I’d like to hear more about that.”
“Let’s pause – I think this is important.”

But it’s not just on leaders

This is something I emphasise a lot:

Psychological safety is a shared responsibility.

We all have a role in shaping the culture of a team. If a colleague asks a difficult question and the room goes silent, you can step in with:

• “I’d like to second that.”
• “I’m curious about that too.”

That’s allyship. And it changes everything.

The Cultures That Struggle the Most

Some industries are notorious for chewing people up and spitting them out – especially high-pressure, results-driven environments.

Graduate-heavy firms where people routinely work 100-hour weeks?
Cultures where being brutally competitive is worn like a badge of honour?

They don’t typically value psychological safety – because they don’t need people to stay.

On the opposite end, companies like Google have embraced it because they want exceptional, long-term performance. The organisations that thrive and retain talent are prioritising psychological safety. The others are constantly in recruitment mode.

Culture: “How We Do Things Around Here”

Culture sounds abstract, but you can feel it instantly. I’ve walked into organisations where:

• The receptionist barely looks at you.
• People arrive in the morning with shoulders slumped.
• No one smiles or greets each other.

I’ve also walked into places where:

• People laugh together.
• Leaders walk the floor and talk to staff.
• Teams celebrate small wins.
• Someone has dressed up as a Disney character and no one bats an eyelid.

Psychological safety is woven into the behaviours, not the posters on the wall.

Psychological Safety and Change Management

We’re in an era where change – especially AI-driven change – is constant and can feel overwhelming. That can mean fear is constant too.

The most important thing a leader can do during change is simple:

Be honest. Even when you can’t give full answers.

Statements like:

• “I know something, but I can’t share it yet – I will when I’m able.”
• “I understand this uncertainty is hard. I’m here to talk about it.”
• “Let’s explore possible scenarios as a team.”

People can handle bad news: what they can’t handle is silence.

And don’t forget: leaders go through the change cycle too – shock, denial, fear, anger, acceptance: you don’t magically skip it just because you have a title.

David Rocks’s SCARF Model: a Tool Every Leader Should Know

If you want to understand why people behave fearfully at work, David Rock’s SCARF model is essential:

S – Status (Will this make me look bad?)
C – Certainty (Do I know what’s happening next?)
A – Autonomy (Do I have control?)
R – Relatedness (Do I belong here?)
F – Fairness (Am I being treated equally?)

When any of these feel under threat, psychological safety evaporates.

Leaders who understand SCARF lead with empathy instead of judgement.

The Biggest Myth About Psychological Safety?

Let me say this loudly:

Psychological safety is NOT about being nice.

You can hold people accountable and have psychological safety.

For example, a mentor of mine is very direct with feedback. Nevertheless, I will reflect on the feedback and then take it on board because:

1. I trust him.
2. He’s backed me in countless meetings.
3. He has my best interests at heart.

Directness without trust feels like an attack. Directness with trust feels like growth.

If I Could Leave Leaders With One Insight, It’s This:

 
If your team feels robust – truly able to speak openly without fear – everything else becomes easier.

• Better decisions.
• Better problem-solving.
• Better innovation.
• Better performance.

Because psychological safety isn’t the soft stuff: it’s the foundation that makes the hard stuff possible.