Why the Best Teams Feel Safe Enough to Speak Up—and Screw Up

Why Psychological Safety Is the Most Underrated Driver of Performance

Ever had a moment at work where you wanted to speak up—but didn’t?
Maybe you had an idea, a concern, or a question, but something in your gut whispered, “Better not.”

That hesitation? That’s what psychological safety is meant to prevent.

And I’ve been there. I’ve felt that sting—where I spoke up and got shut down. Or worse, humiliated. The kind of moment that makes you shrink a little. That teaches you silence is safer than truth. That being agreeable is more “professional” than being honest.

But here’s the paradox: teams don’t thrive when people hold back.
They thrive when people feel safe enough to be real.

So, What Is Psychological Safety, Really?

Psychological safety is the shared belief that a space—especially a workplace—is safe for interpersonal risk-taking. The concept was coined by Harvard professor Amy Edmondson, but let’s be honest: we all know what it feels like.

It’s the difference between saying, “I made a mistake” and getting met with curiosity instead of critique.
Between asking a “dumb question” and actually getting a thoughtful answer.
Between giving hard feedback and still being invited back to the table.

It’s not about coddling. It’s not about being nice. It’s not a weakness.

It’s about trust. And truth.

This Should’ve Been Obvious… But Apparently, We Needed a Study

In 2015, Google spent two years and millions of dollars studying what makes teams thrive. After combing through mountains of data from their top-performing groups, guess what they found?

Not intelligence. Not experience. Not star players.

The #1 predictor of high-performing teams was psychological safety.

Let that land.

We had to study whether people do better work when they feel safe being honest.
We needed research to confirm that humans think more clearly when they’re not bracing for backlash.
That they collaborate better when they trust each other.
That it’s better to ask than pretend.

It sounds like a no-brainer.
And yet—here we are.
Still whispering in hallways instead of speaking up in meetings.
Still watching smart people stay silent just to survive the culture.

So no—psychological safety isn’t some feel-good bonus.
It’s the baseline we’ve ignored for far too long.

And the Numbers Back It Up

If you’re more data-driven, here’s the hard proof:

• Teams with high psychological safety are 76% more engaged, 50% more productive, and 27% more likely to report excellent performance (Gallup + McKinsey).

• Organizations with strong safety cultures have 40% lower turnover.

• And companies that foster safety see a more diverse set of voices at the table, leading to better decisions and more innovation across the board.

This isn’t soft science. It’s business-critical.

So Why Do Some Organizations Not Have It?

Because most weren’t built for it. They were built for control, not connection.

Here’s what usually gets in the way:

1. Power dynamics
People don’t challenge the boss—not because they agree, but because they’re afraid. Authority without approachability kills honesty.

2. Punishment culture
If mistakes equal shame, people stop taking risks. And risk is where growth lives.

3. Obsession with outcomes
When the only thing that matters is hitting the number, people hide struggles and fake progress. Safety disappears fast.

4. Unequal risk
Not everyone feels safe equally. Women, people of color, LGBTQ+ folks, neurodivergent team members—they’ve been punished more often for speaking up. If safety isn’t built with equity in mind, it doesn’t exist.

5. Toxic “niceness”
Avoiding conflict might feel polite, but it creates shallow teams where real alignment never happens.

6. Leaders who never go first
If the people in power don’t admit mistakes, ask for feedback, or show vulnerability—why would anyone else?

The truth? You don’t get psychological safety by default.
You build it. Intentionally. Brick by brick.

What Psychological Safety Feels Like

It’s not something you always see—but you can definitely feel it.

• It feels like asking a question without rehearsing it five times.

• It feels like disagreeing with your manager and being thanked for your honesty.

• It feels like saying, “I messed that up,” and getting, “Thanks for owning it—let’s learn from it.”

• It feels like being valued for your voice, not just your output.

Psychological safety doesn’t mean comfort.
It means courage—with backup.

How to Build It Without Buzzwords

1. Model vulnerability
Show people that being human isn’t a liability—it’s leadership.

2. Reward truth-telling, not just results
Make it safe to speak up before it’s perfect. Before it’s popular. Before it's too late.

3. Invite disagreement—and protect it
Ask your team: “What am I missing?” Then actually listen and thank them.

4. Address bias and uneven risk
If only certain people feel safe, you don’t have safety—you have favoritism. Build systems that lift every voice, not just the loudest.

5. Make respect non-negotiable
Safety doesn’t mean letting anything slide. It means holding people to high standards—with dignity.

The Real Litmus Test

Want to know how psychologically safe your team is?

Don’t just look at who’s talking.
Look at who’s not.

• Who never speaks up in meetings?

• Who always agrees, even when it’s clear they don’t?

• Who has brilliant ideas, but only shares them privately?

That’s where the culture lives. In the silence.

Safety Isn’t Soft. It’s Strategy.

You can have short-term performance without psychological safety.
But you can’t have trust.
You can’t have creativity.
You can’t have honest feedback loops, healthy conflict, or long-term resilience.

In other words, you can’t have greatness.

Psychological safety isn’t a perk. It’s a foundation.

And in a world where most people still don’t feel safe enough to be honest—we’ve got work to do.

Need help bringing this into your culture? Making it practical for your team? I’m here for that. Let’s build something brave.