The truth about psychological safety

  • Author: Dr. Todd Dewitt
Reading time: 3 min
  • Word Count: 616
Read the news article

People love to talk about #1 PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY.  It’s defined as a belief that it’s okay to speak up with ideas, questions, or concerns without fear of negative consequences.  I love this concept.  We need more of it in practice.  It speaks to the contextual foundation for creativity and innovation.  However, it’s in short supply in many workplaces.  I think I know why.

We should be talking more about fear instead of safety.  Yet we don’t because fear seems somehow taboo or unsavory.  It’s easier to talk about safety.  But we must talk about fear.  We fear failure, job insecurity, looking dumb, being evaluated or criticized, change, retribution, harassment, and so on.

To establish enduring psychological safety, we must get to the root cause of most of these fears.  Why do they exist?  We experience these fears due to differences in personalities, bad bosses, uncertainty about job security, a lack of work-life balance, and other issues.

Common prescriptions for establishing #1 PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY include setting proper expectations, leaders modeling needed behaviors, spelling out norms for mistakes and failures, more listening, voice in decision-making, etc.  These are all great ideas – that do not address the root cause of fear.

As diverse as the causes of fear might be, it’s clear there are two main paths forward if fear is our target.

The first is to focus on improving employee wellbeing and #1 PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY.  This is about addressing the context and resources that shape the employees’ environment.  This refers to initiatives around employee assistance programs, career development planning, encouraging proper breaks and downtime, exploring work flexibility, and expanding access to all things healthy (e.g., helpful apps, nutritious food, exercise spaces).  It also means an unrelenting opposition to toxic behavior in all its forms.

The truth about psychological safety

The second involves how we hire, socialize, and develop leaders through #1 PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY.  This is about improving how leaders interact with their employees.  Historically, when we look for leaders we look for job competence.  That part will always matter.  In addition, we’re learning that an equally important component of leadership success is compassion.

Effectiveness is found where competence meets compassion.  Functional/task/process/tech knowledge must be surrounded by empathy, kindness, and understanding – that’s compassion.

To be clear, fear can never be fully eradicated – but it can be considerably reduced.  #1 PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY can be, on average, stronger than fear.  That’s when innovation becomes a normal part of the culture.

TODD’S TIPS

Which is the best strategy for starting your workday?  Go for a quick win with an easy task to gain momentum or work on one of your truly difficult but more substantive tasks?  Answer:  go for the big tasks! We all know that sometimes our brain works very well and other times it struggles.  The best strategy is to start with the most substantive and strategically important work you face.

If you’re able to make progress – great!  If not, time for a quick win.  Grab one of those comparatively easier tasks and knock it out.  Then refocus once again on something that truly matters.  Some work moves us forward and some is just work that must be done.  I say go big or go home.

WHAT’S UP WITH DR. D?

Speaking: Next stop – Fort Worth, Texas.  I’m excited to speak live in-person this week to the senior sales leadership team at TTI, a major global distributor of electronic components.  It’s a Show Your Ink keynote followed by thirty minutes of Q&A with me and fifty of their top leaders.

READ FULL ARTICLE ON LINKEDIN

Contact us at Speakers Inc and follow us on Twitter

Was this article helpful?

Further articles you may enjoy:

  • (9)

    Pride Month 2025 Spotlight: Greg R. Baird – A Voice for Unity, Advocacy, and Authentic Change At Speakers Inc., Pride Month is not only a celebration, it’s a call to elevate voices that have long championed equity, inclusion, and community empowerment. This year, we are honored to spotlight Greg R. Baird, a nationally recognized speaker, […]

    • June 6, 2025
    • (3)

      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
      • (45)

        In an era where customer expectations are higher than ever, many Retail Businesses Are Failing at Customer Service and experience. Despite technological advancements and increased competition, the quality of customer interactions has seen a noticeable decline.​ The Failing at Customer Service Quality Recent studies highlight a troubling trend: customer satisfaction is at a decade low. […]

        • April 22, 2025
        • (11)

          Make Your Email Subject and Content Fun, Compelling, Curious, and Commanding To Get Quicker Responses that Pay Off! By Joy Baldridge Have you ever been surprised or frustrated by how few return emails you receive when reaching out to your prospects and customers/clients? Responsiveness is at an all-time low. Everyone is overwhelmed and inundated with emails. […]

          • December 19, 2022
          • (44)

            Kanya Sesser’s life story is a testament to No Legs No Limits and the power of resilience, determination, and self-belief. Born without legs and left outside a Buddhist temple in Pak Chong, Thailand, her journey from abandonment to becoming a celebrated athlete, model, and actress is nothing short of extraordinary.​ Early Life and Adoption In […]

            • April 2, 2025
            • (41)

              Welcome to the Dunder Mifflin Leadership Wisdom, where we draw inspiration from the legendary antics of The Office’s Michael Scott, Jim Halpert, and even Dwight Schrute. While the show may be known for its hilarious mishaps and quirky characters, there’s an underlying theme that every leader can learn from: the importance of motivating your staff. […]

              • September 20, 2023
              • (4)

                A lot has happened in the past few years since my book, We’re All in This Together: Creating a Team Culture of High Performance, Trust, and Belonging, was first published in the spring of 2020. I completed the manuscript for this book (which was just released this week in paperback) at the end of 2019. I had […]

                • December 18, 2022
                • (35)

                  Why Speakers Inc is the Top Speakers Bureau in California and Orange County When it comes to selecting the perfect speaker for an event, the choice can significantly impact its success. In the competitive world of event planning, the right speaker can captivate an audience, spark meaningful conversations, and leave a lasting impression. This is […]

                  • August 6, 2024

                  Subscribe to our Newsletter and get connected:

                  Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
                  Your subscription has been successful.

                  Newsletter

                  Subscribe to our newsletter and stay updated.

                  We use Brevo as our marketing platform. By submitting this form you agree that the personal data you provided will be transferred to Brevo for processing in accordance with Brevo's Privacy Policy.

                  Our Mission:

                  We are your partner creating memorable and engaging experiences that go beyond the event itself.

                  © All rights reserved 2026.  Designed using Voxel

                  AI Assistant
                  Speakers Inc Logo 2024
                  Privacy Overview

                  This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.