Creating Psychological Safety at Work in a Knowledge Economy | Amy Edmondson, Harvard

Summary

A Google study revealed that psychological safety is the biggest differentiator between great and not-so-great teams. Even at Google, the ability to speak up varied greatly between teams, and creating a safe space for open communication is key to unlocking potential and innovation. In a knowledge-driven economy, failing to hear from employees could mean missing game-changing ideas or early warnings of threats. Leaders must take responsibility for creating psychological safety, acknowledging past shortcomings, and fostering an environment where individuals feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, concerns, and ideas.

Takeaways

• 😀 Google conducted a four-year study to identify what differentiates great teams from not-so-great ones, and found that psychological safety was the key factor.
• 😀 Psychological safety is the ability to speak up, share ideas, and express concerns without fear of negative consequences.
• 😀 Even in a highly talented company like Google, the level of psychological safety varied greatly across different teams, affecting their performance.
• 😀 In a knowledge economy, where ideas and insights are crucial, psychological safety plays a major role in unlocking employees' potential to innovate and contribute.
• 😀 Many employees in various organizations report feeling unsafe to speak up, which can result in missed opportunities for innovation and early warnings of potential threats.
• 😀 The research showed that about half of employees in some organizations feel they cannot speak up safely, which is a significant problem for companies.
• 😀 When a leader apologizes for creating an unsafe environment in the past, it can have a powerful impact on improving trust and openness within a team.
• 😀 Leaders should take responsibility for creating psychological safety, understanding that if the environment isn’t safe, it’s often their fault for not fostering it properly.
• 😀 It’s crucial for leaders to go first in creating an environment where people feel safe to speak up, which is essential for team success.
• 😀 In a successful knowledge economy, it’s mission-critical for employees to be able to share what they know, what they don’t know, and their concerns openly in order to drive success.

Q & A

What was the primary focus of the research conducted by Google?

The primary focus of Google's research was to determine what differentiated high-performing teams from average or underperforming teams. The research found that psychological safety was the key factor that set great teams apart.

How does psychological safety impact team performance?

Psychological safety allows team members to feel safe to share their thoughts, concerns, and ideas without fear of judgment or negative consequences. Teams with higher psychological safety tend to perform better because members are more open to contributing and collaborating.

What surprised the speaker about the Google research findings?

The speaker was surprised that even at Google, a company known for hiring highly intelligent people, psychological safety varied greatly across teams, and this variation had a significant impact on the team's performance.

Why is psychological safety especially important in a knowledge economy?

In a knowledge economy, ideas and information are key drivers of success. For organizations to thrive, they need to hear from all their employees. If employees don't feel safe to speak up, valuable insights may be missed, which can impact product development, innovation, or market awareness.

What percentage of employees feel they cannot speak up at work?

The research indicates that in many companies, as many as half of the employees feel they cannot speak up at work due to a lack of psychological safety.

What are the potential consequences of employees not feeling safe to speak up?

The consequences of employees not feeling safe to speak up include missing out on groundbreaking ideas that could lead to new products or services, as well as failing to identify early warning signs of market threats that could affect the company.

How can leaders help create psychological safety in their teams?

Leaders can help create psychological safety by taking responsibility for the team's atmosphere, apologizing for past failures in fostering an open environment, and ensuring they are approachable for employees to share concerns and ideas.

What is the leader’s role in fostering psychological safety within a team?

The leader's role is to go first by creating an environment where psychological safety can flourish. This includes acknowledging their own potential mistakes, listening to employees, and ensuring that all team members feel comfortable expressing themselves.

What mindset should leaders adopt to foster psychological safety?

Leaders should assume that their team members are well-intentioned and smart. Instead of questioning why someone didn't come forward with an idea or concern, leaders should reflect on what they might have done to make it difficult for employees to speak up.

Why is psychological safety considered mission-critical to success in today's economy?

Psychological safety is considered mission-critical because it enables employees to share important information that drives innovation and helps companies stay competitive. In the knowledge economy, the ability to openly exchange ideas is essential to organizational success.