How to build psychological safety at work

🚀 Why psychological safety should be your top team priority? 🚀 When team members feel safe speaking up without fear whether it’s to admit mistakes, ask questions, or pitch half-baked ideas you unlock serious potential: increased innovation, boosted engagement, and stronger collaboration. Here’s how leaders can actively foster this environment: 🧠 1. Model vulnerability and curiosity Be the first to admit mistakes, ask for feedback, and seek different perspectives. Modeling that safe behavior invites your team to follow suit. 🗣️ 2. Commit to open, empathetic communication Encourage candid discussions and listen without judgement. Ask follow-up questions. Show that every perspective matters especially the dissenting ones. 🔄 3. Frame failures as learning moments Normalize mistakes as growth opportunities. Shift from blame culture to curiosity and continuous improvement. 🌍 4. Celebrate diversity and ensure inclusivity Create space for diverse voices and make sure everyone gets heard especially in brainstorming, feedback sessions, and decision making. 🔁 5. Create feedback loops and shared accountability Foster upward feedback, host frequent check‑ins, and act on what you hear. Follow through on commitments and make sure team members see that their input makes a difference. Your voice matters. Your mistakes matter. Your ideas matter. If you're aiming to build a team that's curious, collaborative, and creative psychological safety is your foundation. Start with ✅ open dialogue ✅ vulnerability ✅ diverse viewpoints ✅ inclusive actions ✅ structured feedback. Let’s make psychological safety a team superpower 💪 ✅ What’s one small change you’ve seen spark more openness in your team? Share your experience below! #PsychologicalSafety #TeamCulture #Leadership #Innovation #TeamTrust #LearningCulture

If your team doesn’t feel emotionally safe, they will not perform at their best. Full stop. Emotional safety is more than “being nice.” It’s creating an environment where team members can voice concerns, share ideas, and even admit mistakes without fear of judgement. When that space exists, people contribute fully. They challenge each other’s thinking, raise issues before they escalate, and engage deeply in the shared goals. Without it, you get silence and passive disengagement. Problems hide beneath the surface until they explode. As a leader, emotional safety starts with you. Be consistent with your actions, own your mistakes openly, and hold space for your team’s perspectives, even when they’re uncomfortable to hear. Small actions, kept over time, build trust. What’s one practice you use to build emotional safety in your team? #TeamBuildingStrategies #LeadershipDevelopment #WorkplaceCulture

💖 Dare to Be Yourself, Dare to Make Mistakes, Dare to Grow: A Team Like This Is No Accident . You probably want your team to be creative, dare to propose new ideas, and fully learn from their mistakes, right? . The key is Psychological Safety. . When a team feels psychologically safe, they dare to be themselves, dare to take risks, dare to not know, and dare to make mistakes without fear of blame or punishment. And this is the foundation of innovation and sustainable growth. . Why does Psychological Safety transform a team? ⚡️ Creativity skyrockets – When no one is afraid, the team dares to think outside the box. 🗣️ Open communication – Problems don't fester; they are solved early. 💡 Mistakes become opportunities for growth – Mistakes become teachers, not public embarrassments. 🫂 Team cohesion strengthens – Because there is more trust. 🏆 Overall performance improves – Because everyone feels involved. . So how can a leader build Psychological Safety? The heart of this lies in two skills from the IMPACT Leadership Model: Earning Trust and Fostering Collaboration. ✅ Listen attentively – Without judgment. ✅ Dare to admit your own mistakes.  ✅ Don't punish mistakes – Instead, encourage collective learning. ✅ Encourage questions – Even if they seem simple or "unintelligent." ✅ Pay attention to team feelings – Because employee well-being is a great performance accelerator. . Psychological Safety isn't about avoiding conflict, but about creating a safe space for the team to dare to collaborate on difficult matters. A leader who can do this = a team that dares to push forward and create without fear of failure. 💪 . #LeadershipHacks #IMPACTLeadership #PsychologicalSafety #EmpatheticLeadership #FosteringCollaboration #ThaiToWorldClass #TeamTrust #WellbeingAtWork

Ever had an idea at work but stayed silent, worried you'd be judged? You're not alone – 90% of employees have felt unsafe speaking up That's a sign of low psychological safety – the belief you can speak up without fear of punishment. Psychological safety isn't just a feel-good phrase, it's been called the #1 predictor of high-performing teams. Harvard research by Amy Edmondson found that teams with a safe, trusting atmosphere were 27% more likely to be collaborative and innovative. When people feel safe to voice their ideas and admit mistakes, engagement soars. But when folks bite their tongues out of fear, great ideas stay hidden and issues build. Creating a safe environment involves everyone, especially leaders who set the tone by showing empathy and inviting input from everyone in the organisation. How safe do you feel speaking up on your team? What’s one thing that would make it easier for you or your team members to share openly? #psychologicalsafety #engagedleaders #engagedorganisations

Why do some employees seem to thrive in a team, while others fade into the background? 🤔 It’s a puzzling phenomenon, isn’t it? You add more people to a project, and instead of a productivity boost, you get a dip in individual contributions. This is known as **Social Loafing**. It’s the tendency for individuals to exert less effort when working in a group compared to when they’re alone. Think of it like a group of friends sharing a pizza. When everyone chips in, it’s easy to let someone else take the lead on ordering or paying, assuming others will cover it. In the workplace, this can lead to frustration and disengagement. But why does this happen? When people feel less accountable, they often rely on the group to carry the weight. So, how can leaders combat this psychological quirk? 1. **Set Clear Individual Goals**: Ensure that each team member has specific, measurable objectives. This creates accountability and encourages personal ownership of tasks. 2. **Foster a Culture of Recognition**: Regularly acknowledge individual contributions, even in a group setting. Highlighting personal achievements can motivate team members to step up and shine. This week, challenge yourself to be a “motivation detective.” Can you spot instances of social loafing in your workplace? How can you turn the tide? #SocialLoafing #TeamDynamics #WorkplacePsychology #MotivationMatters #LeadershipInsights

Psychological safety is the single most important ingredient for real teamwork. It means people can raise concerns, share ideas, and challenge each other without fear of embarrassment or punishment. When this safety exists, problems get solved faster, creativity flows, and trust grows. When it does not exist, people shut down, and what you have is not a team but a group of individuals working in silence. Here is the hard truth. Psychological safety does not exist in autocratic leadership environments. You cannot lead through fear and expect openness. In contrast, consultative leaders, those who seek input, value different perspectives, and create space for honest dialogue, build the highest levels of psychological safety. A group where people cannot speak openly about issues and problems will never become a true team. No amount of team building activities will change that. You can send them on retreats, organise trust exercises, and run workshops, but if voices are silenced back in the office, the team spirit dies instantly. If you are not prepared to allow people to speak up, to disagree, to question, and to propose better ways of doing things, then forget about team building.

Is your team emotionally intelligent? Research shows that emotionally intelligent teams are not only more cohesive, but more productive, more innovative, and more resilient. They’re better equipped to handle change, less prone to burnout and show greater adaptability during organisational transitions. Best-selling author Dan Goleman shares that even a group of self-aware, organisationally attuned colleagues can make a poor team however. Individually "Collaboration isn’t a personality trait, but a discipline. It takes intention, reflection, and a shared commitment to showing up with clear and open communication." "For organizations this means two things. One, you first need to get the right people in the room. Two, you then need to help them develop the structures and norms to actually work well together." #TopTeamEffectiveness #ExecutiveCoaching #LeadershipDevelopment #BeMoreThan #KornFerry https://lnkd.in/gqqvCvdH

🚫 Why One-Upmanship is Undermining Workplace Collaboration Have you ever shared an idea in a meeting, only to have someone immediately jump in with, “That’s good, but when I…” — and suddenly, it’s no longer about your idea? That, in a nutshell, is one-upmanship. It’s the subtle (or not-so-subtle) act of trying to outdo, outshine, or overshadow others, often damaging trust, morale, and genuine teamwork. **The Damage It Causes:** - **Erodes Trust:** Colleagues begin to hold back their ideas for fear they’ll be hijacked or dismissed. - **Breeds Toxicity:** Collaboration transforms into silent competition. - **Hurts Performance:** The focus shifts from solving problems to winning conversations. **Why It Happens:** 👉 Insecurity disguised as confidence 👉 A culture that celebrates competition over collaboration 👉 A misplaced belief that visibility equals value **What We Should Do Instead:** - Celebrate others’ successes openly. - Listen to understand, not just to “top” the other person. - Lead with curiosity and collaboration, not comparison. - Reward teams, not just standout individuals. 💡 The truth is, real leadership doesn’t need to prove “I’m better.” It fosters an environment where everyone feels empowered to contribute without fear of being overshadowed. Let’s replace the “I can do it better” mindset with “We can do it together.” What do you think? Have you experienced one-upmanship in your career, and how did you handle it? #WorkplaceCulture #Leadership #Teamwork #Collaboration #CareerGrowth #EmotionalIntelligence

Ever feel like your manager’s ego matters more than your team’s success? Toxic managers can poison the work environment—hurting not only your peace of mind, but also your productivity and job satisfaction. A toxic manager doesn’t aim to build a strong team. They want compliant followers who never challenge their ego or decisions. Signs you might be working under a toxic manager: ↳ They put their ego above the team’s success ↳ They shut down differing viewpoints ↳ They take credit for others’ contributions ↳ They belittle or humiliate colleagues ↳ They prioritize personal gain over collective goals The consequences of toxic leadership: ↳ Low morale and high employee turnover ↳ Suppressed innovation and creativity ↳ Broken trust and poor communication ↳ Organizational stagnation and mediocrity How to respond: ↳ Identify and acknowledge the warning signs ↳ Focus on your own professional growth ↳ Build a network of support ↳ Foster a positive, respectful workplace culture Let’s work toward building organizations where leadership empowers, respects, and uplifts every employee. Follow Bagombeka Job for more posts about thoughtful leadership ❤

If you want an edge others can’t copy, build psychological safety in your team. Because people hold back their best ideas when they fear judgment, blame, or dismissal. Psychological safety isn’t a bonus. It’s the foundation of creativity, feedback, and accountability. When safety disappears, so does innovation. What builds it: ✅ Encouraging questions, ideas, and healthy disagreement ✅ Responding to honesty with respect not punishment ✅ Genuine curiosity over blame when mistakes happen ✅ Giving credit publicly, offering feedback privately ✅ Making space for every voice not just the loudest ✅ Consistent follow-through on what’s promised ✅ Treating mistakes as learning, not weakness ✅ Protecting people from ridicule or retaliation ✅ Leaders who admit when they’re wrong ✅ Celebrating effort, not just results And what breaks it? ❌ Public shaming or sarcasm ❌ Leaders who never admit fault ❌ Treating vulnerability as weakness ❌ Blaming instead of problem-solving ❌ Only rewarding agreement, not truth ❌ Expecting perfection, but punishing failure ❌ Eye rolls, interruptions, or talking over others ❌ Playing favourites or promoting based on politics ❌ Ignoring feedback or punishing people for giving it ❌ Dismissing concerns with “that’s just how we do things” Companies spend millions trying to fix culture. But the answer is simple and it doesn’t cost a thing: Treat people like people And make it safe for them to do their best work