Lesson for Leaders Applying Psychological Safety to Their Teams

If you are a leader and you are being told to apply psychological safety to a team:

(you will need to consider the performance of the team)

When it comes to team dynamics.

You can’t focus on one thing.

That’s tunnel vision.

These are the some of the questions I would ask:

-Does your team have good rules in place on how it makes decisions?

-Does your team have enough resources to get things done?

-Does your team have efficient processes to get work done?

-Does your team have good rules around accountability?

-Does your team have clear roles and responsibilities?

-Does your team understand what winning looks like?

-Does your team have the right people on the team?

-Does your team have a well-defined set of goals?

One of the best ways to find the answers is to:

(ask your team)

An even better way is to get:

1. Solid Team Psychometric Data – the Team Assessment Survey.
   

2. Team Member Interviews – best done by someone outside the team.

3. Observations of teams in action – doing all 3 puts you back in control.

So next time someone tells you to apply psychological safety.

I would go tell them that true team trust comes from team members believing in each other’s:

(Ability, Benevolence and, Integrity).

This is done when they believe everyone on the team:

1. Ability: has the right skills and experiences to do their jobs.
   

2. Benevolence: puts their own agendas aside. They do what’s right for the team. They act and speak in the best interests of the team, the business, and their clients.
   

3. Integrity: plays by the rules. They safeguard confidential information and follow through on their commitments.

So next time someone tells you to apply psychological safety to your team

I would go tell them that true team trust is built through shared experiences:

(It takes time to develop, and I can’t risk going tunnel vision on my team)

The key message you get across is:

(True team trust comes from team members believing in each other’s Ability, Benevolence, and Integrity)

The more your team wins together as a team. The more likely team trust will increase.

So, there’s many factors to consider. Not just psychological safety.

What reflections have you made on your team about psychological safety?