Last week, I had an insightful conversation with a client about the significance of psychological safety and its connection to authenticity and a strength-based culture. As a coach and facilitator, I believe psychological safety is the cornerstone of fostering inclusiveness, harnessing diversity, and retaining talent in the workplace. It creates a powerful sense of belonging, enabling individuals to be their authentic selves, leverage their strengths, and feel genuinely valued for their contributions. Psychological safety is crucial for collaboration, learning, innovation, and unlocking talent. It paves the way for cultivating individuals who thrive and make a meaningful difference.
Organizations that prioritize psychological safety establish a strength-based culture where individuals are encouraged to take risks, speak up, work creatively, and be authentic—without fear of reprisal, discrimination, or retaliation. In 1990, Boston University professor William A. Kahn defined psychological safety as "being able to show and employ oneself without fear of negative consequences to self-image, status, or career." Harvard professor Amy Edmondson later refined this concept, describing it as "a shared belief held by members of a team that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking." This idea is essential for any team or organization striving for sustained success.
Psychological safety not only unlocks the full potential of each individual but also plays a critical role in achieving greater representation of women in leadership roles. Cultivating a culture and leadership style that encourages development, aspirations, and the appreciation of individual strengths and authenticity is vital for all employees. However, it is particularly important for women, who often feel less psychologically safe in male-dominated environments or at higher levels of leadership. For them, psychological safety can be the difference between thriving and burnout.
Google’s Project Aristotle, which studied the factors behind high-performing teams, identified psychological safety as a key driver. When employees don’t feel safe, they are less likely to speak up and more likely to leave. Google’s efforts to enhance structures that foster psychological safety led to higher-performing teams and reduced turnover—an invaluable lesson for any organization facing challenges like "The Great Resignation."
When individuals perceive their environment as unsafe, their defensive responses can negatively impact both performance and well-being. This threat response stifles the growth mindset, hindering learning, collaboration, and creativity—critical components for maintaining organizational relevance and success. The future belongs to organizations that nurture human momentum at the individual, team, and organizational levels.
Cultivating psychological safety is essential for encouraging people to be authentic, intentional, and committed to valuing diversity and inclusion. Leaders play a pivotal role in shaping organizational culture. Their ability to practice self-awareness and embody authentic leadership—by being intentional and taking ownership of both their behavior and results—is crucial for creating a thriving organization where everyone feels welcome and empowered to make a difference.
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