Psychological safety in teams: the foundation of innovation

In today's economy, innovation is no longer just a buzzword, it has become crucial. But how can innovation be achieved? Psychological safety is a an important component of innovative teams. As Harvard professor Amy Edmondson puts it, this concept is “a shared belief that the team is safe to take interpersonal risks”. It's the foundation for creativity, resilience and groundbreaking ideas. But what exactly is psychological safety, how does it affect your daily meetings and why is it worth talking about?

Psychological safety - What is it?

Psychological safety describes an environment in which team members can freely express themselves without fear of embarrassment, rejection or punishment. In such an environment, people are more likely to share ideas, admit mistakes and challenge established practices. All of these activities are crucial for innovation.

Psychological safety and performance

Research underscores the tremendous impact of psychological safety on team performance. According to a study published in the Harvard Business Review in 2017, teams that demonstrated high levels of psychological safety increased their productivity by 26%. These statistics underscore the way a supportive environment enables team members to freely express their ideas.

Real-World Examples

Google's Project Aristotle

Google's initiative, which aimed to capture the factors for team effectiveness, found that psychological safety was identified as the most important element. They found that teams whose members felt safe to take risks and be honest with each other performed better than others. This suggests that teams with a high level of psychological safety are more innovative, regardless of the skills of the individual members.

Pixar's Braintrust Meetings

At Pixar, the so-called “Braintrust” meetings are intended to promote psychological safety. In these meetings, filmmakers present their work in progress to a group of colleagues who give them honest and sincere criticism.

At the heart of these meetings is a supportive atmosphere in which feedback promotes openness and encourages creative risk-taking. Instead of dismissing unconventional or dangerous concepts, the team develops them further and asks, "What can we add?". This mentality has led to some of the studio's most innovative films. This “yes, and” culture is essential to creative problem solving, as it allows teams to take risks and build on ideas without fear of failure.

How to build psychological safety in teams

Targeted measures are required to create an environment of psychological safety. The most important steps include:

Encouraging open dialog: Leaders should show their vulnerability by admitting their own mistakes and motivating team members to do the same. Human errors should be accepted and recognized for what they are: normal and unavoidable.
Promote inclusion: Introduce methods that combat implicit bias and champion diversity while ensuring that every voice is recognized. Develop a conversation dynamic based on empathy.
Establish clear rules: Set team norms that encourage respect, active listening and constructive feedback.
Supportive leadership in meetings: Leaders should be approachable and supportive. Through this behavior an environment can be fostered where team members feel safe to voice their concerns and share ideas.
Work as an experiment: When work is primarily playful, it encourages a continuous learning approach and enables learning through experimentation.

The role of psychological safety in resilience

Psychological safety promotes innovation and strengthens the resilience of teams. This is reflected in an easier overcoming of difficulties, better adaptation to change and faster recovery from disappointment. These agile skills are essential in today's dynamic work environments.

Conclusion

Psychological safety is not a luxury for high-performing, innovative teams, but a necessity. Organizations can unleash the full potential of their teams and foster creativity, resilience and success by creating an environment where team members feel safe to take risks and express themselves.