How to create Psychological Safety
- Author: Ryan Jenkins
- Word Count: 365
Read the news article
Here are six ways to create psychological safety to re-engage and reassure today’s anxious, disengaged and lonely workforce.
Teams can be lonely places. People can feel vulnerable and exposed if they believe their teammates don’t support their ideas or appreciate their work. These interpersonal struggles intensify for remote workers who lack the support of a nodding ally across the table.
Amid the increased importance of workplace equality and allyship and the growing loneliness and isolation among virtual teams, it’s never been more critical that leaders create psychological safety among their teams.
Workers who feel that they can freely raise concerns, questions and ideas without repercussion are benefiting from psychological safety. Psychological safety pays off in increased creativity, trust and productivity among a team and is the single most important quality that determines a team’s success.
Here are six ways leaders can create psychological safety for their teams.
Psychological Safety
1. Listen to understand
Active listening is a hallmark trait of psychological safety. Too often leaders selectively listen for information that reinforces their view or strengthens their argument.
2. Speak last
When leaders share their thoughts about a topic and then ask for the team’s opinion, it’s too late.
3. Identify blind spots together
When leaders invite others into helping identify blind spots, it’s an admission to not having all the answers.
4. Productively address problems
Instead of blaming or expressing frustration when a team member brings up a problem, instead be appreciative of their insight and dedication to solving the problem.
5. Connect contributions to value
Humans have an innate desire for their contributions to be valued by the community. For centuries humans have found safety in numbers.
6. Switch video on and off
Seeing people’s faces during a video call can create engagement and provide helpful visual cues and non-verbal agreement.
Article written by Ryan Jenkins a Millennial generational speaker
However, it’s challenging for leaders to create psychological safety, because by virtue of their role they have power, and power is a barrier to psychological safety. In order to counterbalance the weight of their powerful role, leaders have to go out of their way to intentionally and strategically build psychological safety.
Speaker Listing
Further articles you may enjoy:
- (12)
The pandemic may be easing up in many parts of the world, but its effects will forever shape how we live, work and shop so here are 3 Strategies to Reach Post-COVID Customers The past two years have brought unbelievable challenges and changes. Throughout the uncertainty, people have evaluated their priorities and lifestyles. A full 50% […]
- December 13, 2022
- (29)
Best Motivational Speakers in San Diego, a city known for its vibrant culture, innovative spirit, and beautiful coastline, is also home to some of the most inspirational and sought-after motivational keynote speakers. These individuals bring a wealth of knowledge, experience, and energy to any event, making them ideal for conferences, corporate gatherings, and seminars. Here’s […]
- July 23, 2024
- (1)
The most important question for leaders today is: “How can we lead with empathy and adaptability in a rapidly changing world?” In today’s dynamic and unpredictable environment, leaders face unprecedented challenges—from technological disruptions and global crises to shifting workforce expectations and evolving customer demands. Empathy and adaptability have become critical leadership qualities that enable leaders […]
- January 23, 2023
- (12)
The Role of a Virtual Emcee, a guide is the one steering you on the right course – a firm hand halting you from treading where you shouldn’t, and it’s the instructions researched and tested to provide you with the best results too. Therefore, a guide is also intrinsically necessary for the optimization of an […]
- January 3, 2023
- (4)
What are the warning signs of an empty resilience tank? HOW TO KNOW WHEN IT’S TIME TO PAUSE In my experience, there are four primary indicators that tend to show up each time my resilience tank is running low. They don’t always show up in the same order but, without fail, they will show up […]
- February 10, 2023
- (2)
Branding Benefits Professional Women in leadership roles manage their Personal Brands on a daily basis; and they started focusing on creating theirs early-on in their careers. Why do they focus on Personal Branding? And why has it become such a hot topic in the workforce today? Smart women in business understand the basic concept that […]
- December 19, 2022
- (26)
Celebrate Customer Appreciation Month with Kerry Bodine — The Voice of Customer Experience April is Customer Appreciation Month, a perfect time to reflect on the relationships that truly drive your business forward — your customers. But appreciating customers goes beyond discounts or thank-you notes. It’s about crafting experiences that make them feel seen, heard, and […]
- April 17, 2025
- (27)
Rocket Science Meets Real Life: Why Olympia LePoint Is the AI and Innovation Speaker You Didn’t Know You Needed In a world inundated with tech buzzwords and innovation hype, few voices cut through the noise with clarity, charisma, and credibility. Olympia LePoint does. A rocket scientist turned transformational keynote speaker, LePoint is redefining what it […]
- May 2, 2025
