We recently held a lunchtime discussion on psychological safety, with a group of leaders spanning finance, food, energy and retail. Here are some of the key themes and ideas we discussed.

It varies significantly across different businesses and cultures. Each business needs to recognise the unique nuances and behaviours that shape its teams, leaders, and subcultures. Global businesses have diverse cultures with a plethora of communication and collaboration styles.

It's crucial therefore for businesses to pinpoint the specific aspects of psychological safety relevant to their context, and to identify areas for improvement and measure progress with key operational metrics such as innovation, decision-making, and sales revenue.

Psychological safety might sound abstract or even a bit academic, but at its core, it's about creating a workplace where people feel safe to speak up, take risks, and be themselves.

The key to developing a shared understanding is to use words and examples that hit home. By framing it as "building fearless teams" or giving people "permission to be fully open and honest," you make the idea more relatable. When communicated in a way that resonates, psychological safety moves from a vague concept to a powerful, everyday practice that can transform the performance, engagement and fulfilment of your people.

Embedding psychological safety within a business isn't just a top-down mandate—it’s a shared responsibility. While leaders set the tone, their true influence comes from modelling the right, values-led behaviours. By openly sharing their own mistakes and the lessons learnt, fostering inclusive discussions and actively inviting feedback, leaders pave the way.

But it doesn't stop there. Peer relationships often have a greater impact on creating cultural norms and behaviours, which is why everyone must hold themselves and each other accountable—not just for their own actions, but for speaking up when something isn't right. Encouraging diverse perspectives, embracing vulnerability, and establishing structured feedback channels, like Junior Boards, create an environment where all voices matter.

As businesses navigate a rapidly evolving landscape shaped by AI, automation, remote work, and data-driven decision-making, nurturing and elevating human insight, creativity and collaboration is vital. Fostering psychological safety at all levels enables a culture that doesn't just adapt to change, but excels in it.

When people truly feel safe, they gain a sense of empowerment that pushes them to be bold, take risks and unleash their creativity. Someone summed this up neatly as ‘when you feel safe, you can be super-powered.’ On the flip side, failing to create such an environment can lead to disengagement, stifled collaboration, and even toxicity, as unresolved issues fester in the shadows.

If you’d like to learn more, or you’d like to discuss the role of psychological safety in your organisation, please get in touch at [email protected]