STRESS READINESS RESPONSIVENESS & RESILIENCY
AWARENESS + ACTIONS
Resource Toolkit & Professional Services for
Cultivating Ethical, Humane & Harmonious Workplaces
Psychological
Safety
Learning & Growth Mindset
“In a workplace, psychological safety is the belief that the environment is safe for interpersonal risk taking. People feel able to speak up when needed — with relevant ideas, questions, or concerns — without being shut down in a gratuitous way. Psychological safety is present when colleagues trust and respect each other and feel able, even obligated, to be candid.”
- Dr. Amy Edmondson, author of The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth
“Psychological safety is a condition in which human beings feel (1) included, (2) safe to learn, (3) safe to contribute, and (4) safe to challenge the status quo – all without fear of being embarrassed, marginalized, or punished in some way. The 4 stages of psychological safety is a universal pattern that reflects the natural progression of human needs in social settings. When teams, organizations, and social units of all kinds progress through the four stages, they create deeply inclusive environments, accelerate learning, increase contribution, and stimulate innovation.”
- Timothy R. Clark, author of The Four Stages of Psychological Safety: Defining the
Path to Inclusion and Innovation
Applying the Tools
Featured Resources:
Summary:
"These days, organizations depend on encouraging innovation, creativity and spark in their employees. The ability to attract and retain top talent is essential for success, but what good does this talent do, once hired, if unable to speak its mind? Professor Amy Edmonson offers practical guidance for teams and organizations aiming to succeed and flourish in a changing economy.
"Amy Edmondson is the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School. Edmondson, recognized by the biannual Thinkers 50 global ranking of management thinkers since 2011, teaches and writes on leadership, teams and organizational learning. She is the author of The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation and Growth (Wiley, 2018) and several other business books."
Summary:
What is Psychological Safety?
"Psychological safety is a condition in which human beings feel (1) included, (2) safe to learn, (3) safe to contribute, and (4) safe to challenge the status quo – all without fear of being embarrassed, marginalized, or punished in some way. The 4 Stages of Psychological Safety is a universal pattern that reflects the natural progression of human needs in social settings. When teams, organizations, and social units of all kinds progress through the four stages, they create deeply inclusive environments, accelerate learning, increase contribution, and stimulate innovation."
As Psychological Safety becomes a popularized buzzword, misconceptions about what it is - and what it isn't abound.
Dr. Amy Edmondson wrote about this in this short post on her site:
"A common misperception about psychological safety is that it means lowering standards, giving up on accountability, or 'wrapping teams in cotton wool,' as Dan Cable of London Business School puts it.
"I have spilled a great deal of ink correcting this notion. Being a social scientist, I also love a good 2 x 2 matrix. Here’s mine, brought to life by Tanmay Vora, sketchnote artist supreme.
"Clearly, the place to be is the upper right quadrant, where people are not afraid to have the difficult conversations that bring real progress. Those conversations flow upward as well as downward, in an atmosphere of respect that also flows both ways.
Glad that’s settled, right?
Just kidding… it’s a very sticky misperception that is no doubt here to stay."