The Hidden Power of Psychological Safety

Psychological Safety: The Invisible Advantage of Great Teams

What do coders, The Daily Show writers, remote consultants, and cocktail waiters have in common?

They know the secret: ideas need a safe place to grow.

Psychological safety isn’t about being nice. It’s about creating a space where ideas, even half-baked ones, can be spoken aloud. Where one thought sparks another. Where creativity thrives.

Here’s how you know it’s there: the boss walks into the room, and the conversation doesn’t stop.

Without it? Defensiveness takes over. People nod along but don’t speak up. The best ideas never see the light of day.

Teams That Play

Over the years I have had the great fortune to work in distributed teams of independent consultants where we are not all jostling for the same promotion. We can truly value collaboration over competition. This has led to great work being co-created and high levels of psychological safety.

Coders have a term for this magic: “burstiness.” It’s when everyone contributes, builds, and riffs off one another in real time. Comedy writers at The Daily Show do this too, shaping jokes that make the nation laugh. It’s what happens when people feel safe to throw out wild ideas.

I saw it at a resort in Portugal, Martinhal Luxury Resorts. A bartender handed me the perfect cocktail. But he wasn’t the only artist in the room. “We make them together,” he said, explaining how the team tasted, tweaked, and added their own flair. “This is the best job in the world,” he beamed.

Why? Because it wasn’t just a drink. It was their drink.

Leadership’s Role

Psychological safety isn’t accidental. Leaders build it—or destroy it. Here’s how to do the former:

Stop talking first. Let others speak. If you’re always leading, they’ll stop trying.

Listen. Really listen. Listening is surrendering to the risk of being changed by what you hear.

Be clear. Vague roles and unclear goals kill momentum. Give your team a purpose.

Don’t dominate. Step out of meetings sometimes. Your absence creates space for others to step up.

Teams That Shine

When teams feel safe, something extraordinary happens. They don’t just work—they play. They spark creativity. They take risks. And in doing so, they achieve more than they thought possible.

Here’s the thing: safety takes time. Teams go through phases—forming, storming, norming, performing. But with patience and intention, the magic of trust takes root.

Final Thought

The best teams aren’t built on status or ego. They’re built on trust, safety, and a shared mission.

So, when the boss walks in—will the conversation stop, or will it thrive?

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