Kristen and Mike kick off their new Buzzword Breakdown series by tackling psychological safety, a term often referenced in leadership discussions without clear explanation. Created by Harvard professor Amy Edmondson, psychological safety is the belief that you won't be punished for speaking up with ideas, questions, or concerns. Research shows it's the #1 predictor of high-performing teams - more important than who's on the team. Despite its importance, many misconceptions exist around what psychological safety actually means and how to create it. Whether you lead a team or are part of one, understanding this concept can transform your workplace relationships and help everyone do their best work.
Highlights:
- Introduction of the new Buzzword Breakdown series format
- Amy Edmondson coined "psychological safety" in 1999 while researching hospital teams
- Psychological safety is a team concept that predicts high performance (Google's Project Aristotle)
- Myth: It's about being nice (Reality: It's about candor with respect)
- Myth: You can declare a space "safe" (Reality: Actions create it)
- Myth: It's a luxury (Reality: It's essential for effective teams)
- Signs of low safety: silence in meetings, blame culture, fear of failure
- Signs of high safety: challenging ideas without fear, open discussion of mistakes
- Leaders create it through: admitting uncertainty, sharing lessons from mistakes, thanking people for speaking up
Links & Resources Mentioned:
- The Fearless Organization by Amy Edmondson
- Amy Edmondson on LinkedIn
- HBR: What Is Psychological Safety?
- HBR: What People Get Wrong About Psychological Safety
- McKinsey: What is Psychological Safety?
- Previous Love and Leadership episodes:
Podcast Website: www.loveandleadershippod.com
Instagram: @loveleaderpod
Follow us on LinkedIn!
Kristen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenbsharkey/
Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-s-364970111/
Learn more about Kristen's leadership coaching and facilitation services: http://www.emboldify.com
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