We’ve been talking a lot about Psychological Safety here in the Ziksana office. Psychological safety is a product of courageous leadership, and it plays a critical role in creating a productive and healthy organizational culture.. We were reflecting back on previous teams we’ve worked on and one story in particular came to mind.
Our colleague described a team meeting where his manager was sharing an update on role changes within the organization and certain key players would start doing different jobs.
There was no context around the new roles, how the transition was going to work, and if they would stop their current project. So his team asked for clarity. His manager said; “I’m not sure. I just need you to do what I’m asking.”
This left the room feeling tense and no one asked any more questions. He felt that if he spoke up anymore regarding the situation he would be judged and potentially reprimanded for even probing the decision.
He no longer felt psychologically safe to be himself, share his concerns, or ask his questions.
This is a common example of low psychological safety in the workplace, where employees feel unable to speak up, challenge decisions, or express uncertainty without fear of negative consequences.
What is Psychological Safety?
The term psychological safety is essentially “a climate in which people are comfortable being (and expressing) themselves.” In 1999, Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson wrote that psychological safety is “a sense of confidence that the team will not embarrass, reject, or punish someone for speaking up.”
In other words, psychological safety in teams means people feel safe to:
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Ask questions
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Admit mistakes
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Share concerns
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Offer new ideas
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Challenge assumptions
Without fear of being shamed, ignored, or penalized.
Why Psychological Safety in Teams Matters
When a team doesn’t have psychological safety at work, there are several negative consequences, including:
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Low levels of trust
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Fewer problems being addressed
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Team members not speaking up
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Fewer risks being taken
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Less creativity and innovation
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Strategic thinking being handicapped
Google famously studied 180 teams over two years and found that psychological safety was the most important predictor of team performance. Teams with high psychological safety were better able to leverage each other’s ideas, generated more revenue, and were rated as effective twice as often by leadership.
This research highlights the powerful link between psychological safety, leadership, and organizational performance.
How to Build Psychological Safety in the Workplace
Going back to our story, our colleague didn’t want himself or the team to continue feeling this tension and lack of safety.
He organized his team’s questions and concerns and presented them to leadership in a structured document. He shared that they weren’t feeling heard and needed more clarity around expectations and decision-making.
Thankfully, because of his efforts, leadership opened the door for more dialogue. His team was able to speak more openly, ask questions, and begin building psychological safety in the workplace.
At Ziksana, we focus on helping leaders learn how to create psychological safety in teams and strengthen trust so that performance can improve. Here are a few ways to start:
1. Share and discuss research on psychological safety
Get your team on the same page by making sure everyone understands what psychological safety is and why it matters.
2. Use a diagnostic tool or survey
Measure the current level of team psychological safety. Assess strengths and areas for improvement, and ensure results remain anonymous so people feel safe being honest.
3. Outline behaviors to “start doing”
As a group, identify positive, observable behaviors that help build safety — such as active listening, asking open-ended questions, or acknowledging uncertainty. Decide which behaviors to start, stop, and continue.
Psychological Safety and Leadership
It’s important to remember that psychological safety at work is not just something to understand cognitively, it must be felt. Leaders play a central role in shaping this environment.
When leaders model vulnerability, invite feedback, and respond with curiosity instead of defensiveness, they signal that it’s safe for others to do the same. This is how psychological safety and leadership directly impact culture.
If people are having open and honest conversations, they are far more likely to feel psychologically safe, which leads to greater trust, engagement, and long-term performance.
Psychological Safety for Remote Teams
Even in virtual environments, leaders managing remote teams still need to intentionally create spaces that support psychological safety in the workplace.
Without informal conversations or body language cues, it’s even easier for misunderstandings, silence, and disengagement to take hold. Leaders must be proactive in inviting participation, checking in emotionally, and normalizing questions and uncertainty.
Do you need support improving psychological safety for remote teams?
You can learn more about how to measure and develop psychological safety through programs like PERFORM. Psychological safety is just one essential component of creating a culture of innovation, creativity, and trust, and we’d love to help you get started.
