Ah, psychological safety... the corporate buzzword that’s been passed around more than that raffle prize everyone keeps re-entering (you know the one!). But what does it really mean? Is it just about being nice, avoiding conflict, and ensuring no one is ever faced with criticism? Spoiler alert: It’s not.
Thanks to Amy Edmondson (look her up, she's awesome) we have concrete evidence of the impact this can have in the workplace but it is often misunderstood. So let’s bust some myths and get to the heart of what psychological safety actually looks like (and what it doesn’t).
Myth #1: Psychological Safety Means Being Nice All the Time
Nope. Psychological safety isn’t about wrapping people in emotional bubble wrap and nodding along to every terrible idea in the name of inclusion. It’s about making sure people feel safe enough to share their thoughts, challenge the status quo, and admit mistakes—without fear of being embarrassed, ignored, or thrown under the bus. It doesn't mean pointing out every problem you see without any regard for the people attached to it
Ever been in a meeting where you someone suggests a new idea, and a colleague (usually 'the boss') immediately shuts them down with a dismissive “That’ll never work”? That’s not psychological safety. Compare that to a leader who says, “Interesting—tell me more. What problem does this solve?” Even if the idea doesn’t make the cut, the person walks away knowing their voice mattered and that different angles were explored. That’s psychological safety in action.
Myth #2: It’s About Lowering Standards
Contrary to popular belief, this isn’t about letting everyone coast through their work giving them a pat on the back for taking part. In fact, research has shown time and time again that the most psychologically safe environments are often high performance cultures—because when people feel safe to fail, they take risks, innovate, and improve.
Picture this... a software engineer spots a major flaw in a product launch. In a low-safety workplace, they keep their mouth shut for fear of looking incompetent or because calling out a mistake in someone else's work is frowned upon and 'punished'. In a psychologically safe team, they raise the issue, discuss solutions, and prevent a disaster together. Now which environment both feels safer and will be more efficient?
Myth #3: It’s a One-Time Fix
Creating psychological safety isn’t like assembling your flatpack furniture—you can’t just set it up once and expect it to hold. It requires constant effort and often needs to be intentional in the beginning.
Think about a company that says “We value honesty” while giving side-eye to anyone who actually speaks up or tells them about issues. A bit like the couple looking around at their wedding guests complete with full death stare for anyone who may dare to make a squeak when asked for any reason they may not be wed!
Real psychological safety means consistent actions and funnily enough leaders need to lead by modeling it, team members need to practice it, and the culture needs to reinforce it.
Myth #4: It’s the Same as Trust
Trust and psychological safety are like siblings not twins (just like eyebrows!). You can trust your manager to pay you on time, but that doesn’t mean you feel safe telling them their strategy isn’t working or their idea is shit.
Here's another example (because my brain needs world life examples to solidify things i'm reading - if yours doesn't you can skip this part of each bit!) A team leader asks for feedback, but when someone offers a suggestion, they get defensive. That’s trust without safety. On the flip side... imagine a leader who actively seeks out different opinions and thanks people for their honesty. That’s when trust and psychological safety work hand in hand.
Myth #5: It’s All About Mental Health and Wellbeing
While a psychologically safe environment can boost mental health, that’s not its sole purpose. This isn’t just about feeling good at work. It's about creating an environment where it feels safe to challenge ideas, take accountability, and admit when things go wrong. And the best place this comes from is the leadership of an organisation. Feeling happier and increased team morale is just a brucey bonus, a happy by-product of feeling psychologically safe.
Imagine a workplace where people never acknowledge mistakes for fear of blame. It’s a breeding ground for cover-ups and inefficiency. Now picture a company where leadership says, “We all make mistakes—let’s focus on fixing them.” That’s a much better place to be, in a culture where people learn, adapt, and grow instead of living in fear.
So, Can We Truly Have Psychological Safety at Work?
Short answer: Yes, but it takes effort.
Long answer: It’s not about eliminating all discomfort. Sometimes tough conversations need to happen. As we all know, (sadly) sometimes people don't get on, or take the piss a bit, or sometimes find themselves in the wrong job regretting that CV blag now being uncovered. BUT when done right, psychological safety creates an environment where those conversations are productive, not punitive.
At its core, psychological safety is about fostering a workplace where speaking up isn’t a career risk, where learning from failure is encouraged, and where innovation isn’t stifled by fear.
So, next time someone tells you that psychological safety is just about “being nice,” feel free to set the record straight.
So, where do you start?
Well, the wonderfully aforementioned Amy Edmondson has given us 6 questions to test our psychological saftey, which you can either ask yourself or the team and pretty soon you'll know whether this is an area that needs work:
If you make a mistake on your team, is it held against you?
Are you able to bring up problems and tough issues?
Do people on the team sometimes reject others for being different?
Is it safe to take a risk?
Is it difficult to ask other team members for help?
If the answers to this highlight areas of work, I'm always happy to chat about how we might work together to improve this. If you're not ready to reach out yet, they're a pretty good start to a difficult conversation which could lead to improved psychological safety, don't you think?!
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