Why is psychological safety so important?
All we need to share and bring ourselves lies in the confidence we feel in our surroundings. When we have trust in people – that they will not hurt us, will not misinterpret us, will believe us, there is a greater chance that we will actually bring ourselves, ideas, creative thoughts and boldness in a broader way. On the other hand, when we do not trust the group of people we work with… the result will be dangerous and problematic for us, for the group and for the entire organization.
Psychological safety allows people to focus on achieving shared goals, and to invest in doing things rather than worrying about how to protect themselves from harm. Psychological safety is the foundation of teamwork. It allows members to feel confident enough to take risks and be vulnerable and exposed to other group members.
When there is a solid foundation of psychological confidence among team members in each other and in the group, people get to work and achieve better results in a timely manner, everyone’s role is clear, the goals and plans for how to reach the goals are clear, the work becomes more important and success is more significant not only on a personal level but also and especially on a group level. The success of the group is the new and significant place, and therefore we work to create the necessary changes and are driven by a desire for joint creation and not by private ego.
A team in which psychological safety exists moves from excuses, accusations, denial, and avoidance to a place of shared understanding that inspires curiosity, courage, connection, and empathy, and ultimately leads to a shared outcome based on shared responsibility and ownership by all its members.
Psychological safety allows for a safe space for thinking, learning, and developing innovation.
When you have psychological safety in the workplace, people feel comfortable being themselves. They bring their full selves to work and feel okay laying all of themselves on the line
This is psychological security.
Psychological safety is actually a person’s sense, feeling, and understanding that they can trust the significant people around them, which allows for vulnerability and authenticity within the group of people. Psychological safety allows for a safe space for deep and meaningful discourse.
faith
1. Between individuals
2. Measured by whether the person does what they said they would do
3. Measured by the individual towards another individual
4. I assume I trust you until proven otherwise.
Psychological security
1. In a group
2. Measured by whether it is okay to share thoughts and make mistakes
3. Measured by the group – is it a safe environment or not?
4. The assumption is that as a member of the group we trust you until proven otherwise.
Steps to Creating Psychological Confidence in Collaborative Action (Dr. Timothy Clark)
Dr. Timothy Clark suggests looking at this as four developmental stages, as the level of confidence increases, more opportunities exist for experimentation and curiosity to develop:
Step One – Feeling Sure I Am a Part. The need to feel part of and belong to are basic human needs. When a person feels comfortable being who they are, including their uniqueness and their unique contribution.
Step Two – Feel Safe to Learn. Understanding that a safe space for learning meets the human need for growth and development. When this safety exists, questions are asked, feedback is provided, and there is the opportunity to try things out and make mistakes.
Step Three – Feel Safe to Contribute. Being a contributor fulfills our need to be unique, significant, and influential. When a safe psychological space exists in a group, a person feels safe to use their abilities to make a significant contribution.
Stage Four – Feeling confident to challenge. Meets our need to improve and do better. When this confidence exists, people dare to challenge the system and the status quo when there seems to be an opportunity for improvements and changes.
What can be done to create broader trust during complex times, and how do you create a safe space in teams?
1. Emphasize the importance of safe space and psychological safety
2. Bring more attention to different opinions
3. Create norms that encourage learning
4. Create a space that allows for the bringing and expression of new and different ideas.
5. Enable creative and bold discourse to promote boundary-breaking thinking
6. Don’t be afraid of conflicts.
You can read more here.
One of the powerful processes that enables collaborative work to create a safe and enabling space is team trust . In the team trust process, we accompany the team and work together on communication at a different level, a deeper understanding of connectedness and partnership, and creating a different discourse that builds the team and allows the team to build itself in order to achieve a good emotional experience of partnership and extraordinary results.
