Building productive teams
How to increase psychological safety in your team
How to increase psychological safety in your team
5 minutes
Consider adopting at least one of the following strategies to boost psychological safety within your own team:
1
Promote contributor safety
Make it clear that everyone’s ideas are welcome. Provide multiple ways for people to share their thoughts, not just in large meetings. Try encouraging others in one-on-one conversations, smaller group discussions, or an open-door policy.
2
Approach conflict as a collaborator, not a competitor
View conflicts as opportunities for collaboration rather than confrontation. Instead of triggering defensiveness in yourself, ask, “How can we work together to find the best outcome?”
3
See the human behind the disagreement
Remember that beneath any disagreement are basic human needs like respect. In tough moments, remind yourself that the other person is just like you—wanting to feel valued and heard.
4
Anticipate reactions and plan for them
Before delivering difficult messages, take a moment to think about how the other person might react. By preparing in advance, you can communicate in a way that’s less likely to feel like a personal attack and more like an opportunity for growth.
5
Be curious
If you find yourself jumping to conclusions, pause and shift your mindset. Approach the situation with the intent to understand, rather than assuming you already know what's going on.
By fostering psychological safety, you can expect greater engagement, enhanced motivation to solve difficult problems, more opportunities for learning and growth, and improved overall performance on your team.
by
Hellomonday