Leadership | Psychological safety - a silver bullet amidst complexity and uncertainty?

Very rarely can leaders find a single solution for solving multiple challenges. Rarer still is the ability to drive universal change throughout an organisation with a single strategy when faced with so many moving parts affecting economies and employment, and day-to-day success. Creating psychological safety could prove the answer to many perplexing leadership problems.

Much more than the latest business buzz term

The concept of psychological safety is gaining increasing momentum. And when such a topic becomes a reoccurring focus of thought leadership, it often inspires forward-thinking leaders and encourages conversation. A by-product of this can be the creation of buzz that diminishes the latest strategic thinking as jargon or a passing fad. Psychological safety is distinct from this because it’s something that exists, whether we choose to acknowledge it or not. And it is so practical and effective in its implementation, that to not harness its power is a huge opportunity missed.

In its simplest terms, psychological safety is the concept of an environment where everyone feels safe – safe to share ideas, safe to ask questions and to express concerns and safe to fail. These factors can support organisations in addressing the myriad of complex, and most pressing challenges they face; whether that’s employee retention issues (think the Great Resignation and Quiet Quitting), creating diverse and inclusive cultures, and, in driving high performance.

Cultivating it can be challenging. It’s not as simple as asking ‘does psychological safety exist in my organisation?’ It’s subjective; every individual within a team will have a different experience of it from their peers. And it’s incredibly delicate. One throwaway comment dismissing someone’s contribution can shatter it. As such, it needs to be maintained and nurtured with care.