Psychological safety is the key to innovation

When it comes to understanding how inclusive your organisation is, there is one factor that holds the key; the level of psychological safety. Psychological safety; a term coined by Harvard Professor Amy Edmondson describes conditions where people feel safe to learn and contribute, where risk-taking is encouraged and the status quo is openly challenged, all without fear of humiliation. Whilst this sounds dreamy, there are also tangible business benefits such as personal growth and job satisfaction, as well as boosting organisational growth and revenue (Forbes, 2024).

Sounds too good to be true? Well, it doesn’t have to be. 

In my day-to-day work supporting clients by diagnosing their internal culture, it’s psychological safety that continuously comes up as a sticking point. Particularly in the creative sector, psychological safety appears consistently as a barrier to inclusion. Often we may find what appears to be on the surface a pleasant and supportive environment. However, people are really holding back from saying what they actually think or limiting sharing the breadth of their ideas. Instead, going along with the majority for the sake of harmony. Ironically this goes against the grain of creativity. So why is this happening? 

One explanation is that teams are often under pressure to produce standards of excellence at a rapid pace, leading them to trust the same sources and methods that have been successful in the past. Additionally, as humans, we are hardwired to conform and “keep the peace”. No one wants to be labelled as “trouble maker” right? This doesn’t exactly create a climate that encourages risk-taking and experimentation. Research shows that psychological safety is worth investing in; when employees speak their minds they are more likely to engage in imaginative and innovative thinking that could lead to groundbreaking products and services. Companies that developed psychological safety boasted higher levels of creativity and were more likely to bring innovative products to market faster (Journal of Organizational Behaviour). This is the excellence and ROI we are all striving for. So how do we get there? 

Psychological safety can be developed in stages as described in Timothy R Clark’s book, the 4 stages of psychological safety; Defining the path to inclusion and innovation. Below are some ways to get started:

1. You need diversity of thought to capitalise on the benefits that psychological safety can bring. It’s worth thinking about the people you have in the room and the lived and professional experience they bring. The goal is to bring all of this out when generating ideas by recognising and valuing individual differences. 

2. Leading by example is essential. If you are someone with influence in the team, think about how open and honest your own communication is. Monitor how much airtime members of the team are getting when you are having discussions and how you can facilitate more inclusive conversations. Be aware of different starting points. People come from differing backgrounds in terms of communication norms, so it's important to get to know your team and what each member needs to feel comfortable. 

3. Promote feedback and collaboration. This is moving beyond formal feedback processes such as annual 360s or performance reviews. It’s integrating feedback into the every day so it becomes business as usual. Give people a chance to practice and learn giving and receiving feedback informally. Remember feedback is not just about an individual, it's also about systems and processes, so critique those too!  

We work with organisations, departments and teams to define, measure and realise psychological safety to unlock innovation. If this is an area you are interested in, get in touch here