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:
- (8)
In today’s fast-paced, ever-changing world, one thing has become abundantly clear: Authentic Leadership Matters more than ever. It’s not about being perfect or having all the answers—it’s about leading with integrity, vulnerability, and a genuine connection to your team. Authentic leadership is the foundation for building trust, fostering collaboration, and achieving meaningful results that go […]
- November 18, 2024
- (5)
Unveiling the Hottest Trends in Event Entertainment: Elevate Your Corporate Event with Speakers Inc In the ever-evolving landscape of event planning and entertainment, staying ahead of the curve is essential to delivering memorable and impactful experiences for attendees. From corporate conferences to gala dinners, the demand for innovative and engaging entertainment options continues to grow. […]
- March 15, 2024
- (1)
A couple of weeks ago I was in Orlando for a talk. And, the night before I was sitting at the hotel restaurant grabbing some dinner. Out of the corner of my eye I saw that there was a basketball game on the tv at the bar and I knew the THE 3 C’S OF […]
- January 14, 2023
- (10)
Speakers Inc, San Diego has available to present Employee Engagement and Business Culture Speakers to open or close your next Salt Lake City, Utah event or conference. Speakers Inc, San Diego is a leading speaker platform that brings you excellent employee engagement and culture speakers that delivers keynotes over 500 times per year. Our culture […]
- January 17, 2023
- (8)
Sara Sutton Fell, the founder of 1 Million for Work Flexibility, and CEO and founder of FlexJobs, shares tips on how to negotiate workplace flexibility. Workplace flexibility is not just an issue that impacts working women; working men are also eager for solutions that help them balance work and home, and a new survey from Working […]
- January 12, 2023
- (21)
Corporate Events for 2025 have always been pivotal in fostering professional connections, enhancing brand presence, and sharing groundbreaking ideas. In 2025, this industry is experiencing transformative changes fueled by technology, sustainability, and evolving attendee expectations. Below, we explore the top trends redefining corporate events this year. Emerging Trends in Corporate Events for 2025 1. Hybrid Events […]
- January 8, 2025
- (8)
How your company’s career page is deterring candidates from applying. Every employee at your company can make or break a customer’s experience. That’s why it’s so important to ensure employees not only understand your company’s story, but also how they fit into it. Why does your company exist? Is there alignment between your stated mission, vision, and […]
- December 21, 2022
- (4)
The Cost of Neglecting Customer Experience in today’s competitive events industry, customer experience (CX) has emerged as a defining element of success. Event planners and bookers are no longer evaluated solely on logistics or creativity; instead, they are judged by the overall experience they provide—from the first point of contact to the post-event follow-up. Neglecting […]
- April 23, 2025