Psychological safety has been proven to lead to better teamwork. But what exactly does psychological safety mean, and why is it crucial for teamwork?
We can solve problems and develop new ideas in teams rather than alone. To do this, however, the team members must interact well with each other.
But what makes a good team? To answer this question, Google conducted a study in 2023 and surveyed over 200 different teams. According to the results, five factors are crucial for good collaboration: reliability, structure and clarity, meaning, impact, and psychological safety.
The concept of psychological safety proved to be more important than the other four aspects. But what exactly is it all about? To build your team spirit creatively try together the online roulette game.
The Definition
Psychological safety refers to the feeling that you can feel free in a group without fear of negative consequences such as rejection, embarrassment, or punishment.
The confidence that you can express your thoughts, ideas, and concerns. Without this being perceived as an attack on your person or the authority of others. Team members feel respected, heard, and supported in a psychologically safe environment.
Amy Edmondson first introduced the concept of psychological safety. She was a professor at Harvard Business School in the 1990s. Edmondson studied how team members in healthcare interacted with each other.
She discovered that high-performing teams had a higher error rate than low-performing teams. She then carried out further research.
Which confirmed her initial hypothesis. The best-performing teams did not make more mistakes than other teams. But they were more willing to report and talk about them.
This is because there was a high level of psychological safety in these teams. This means that regardless of the existing hierarchy, every team member felt empowered to point out problems. These teams are, therefore, also better at solving problems and driving innovation.
How to Create It？
Psychological safety is essential for efficient and trusting collaboration. Team members can create psychological safety together by fulfilling three aspects:
Show vulnerability: Psychological safety requires trust that enables all team members to be open when they have not understood something or where they currently see problems.
To achieve this, team leaders should promote an open error culture, openly admit mistakes, actively request feedback, and always be approachable when problems arise.
Give trust: Trust creates an atmosphere in which team members are willing to support each other and work together. It facilitates the exchange of ideas and promotes open communication.
In an environment of trust, team members also feel motivated, which can positively impact their performance and productivity. They are more willing to take risks and develop innovative solutions.
Team leaders should be prepared to trust their colleagues and want to avoid closely monitoring every step.
Taking responsibility: To take responsibility for a specific area, the respective people must be equipped with the necessary skills.
Suppose each person in the team knows their responsibilities. In that case, it is clearer to everyone exactly how processes should run and what goals they want to achieve individually and as a team.
Team leaders should, therefore, distribute tasks transparently and clearly for everyone, taking into account the respective competencies of their colleagues.
Psychological Safety Outside the Workplace
The concept of psychological safety is not limited to the workplace. It can just as easily be applied in interpersonal relationships in families, friendships, or romantic partnerships.
In any type of relationship, it is important that those involved feel free. To express their thoughts, feelings, and concerns without fear of rejection or judgment.
Psychological safety can mean creating a supportive and empathetic environment in relationships outside of work. Where everyone can feel free to be authentic and respect each other. This requires, for example…
- actively listen to others without immediately judging them for specific actions,
- empathize with the other person,
- address problems and ambiguities openly,
- to be able to accept criticism,
- to open up and talk openly about your own mistakes, worries, and thoughts
- and to encourage others to share their opinions and perspectives.
Conclusion
In conclusion, fostering psychological safety is essential for effective teamwork and enriching personal relationships.
By embracing vulnerability, trust, and responsibility, we can create environments where innovation thrives and individuals feel valued and heard, both in and out of the workplace.