Amy C Edmondson writes about creating psychological safety in the workplace for learning, innovation, and growth.
In this book, Amy C Edmondson, professor of leadership at Harvard Businesss School, explores the notion of psychological safety.
All too often, says Edmondson, employees are scared of pitching ideas or reporting concerns because they are worried about looking stupid or losing their job. This damages everyone. People should be fearless, she argues.
Research proves that when businesses discuss things openly, and acknowledge mistakes, they perform better. What a sense of psychological safety does is help one person’s suggestion become one of two things: a successful idea or an opportunity to discuss ways to improve.
If someone at work feels psychologically unsafe, they will hesitate to discuss their ideas or experiences with colleagues and a learning opportunity is lost. Good managers understand that their employees are there not to be compared to one another but to learn from one another.
Think Nokia. Once dominant in the mobile phone game, the downfall of the Finnish company was arguably brought about by its employees feeling unable to talk openly about the fact that it was falling behind companies such as Google and Apple.
In a psychologically safe environment, colleagues would share concerns so that they could act on them; in a environment that lacks psychological safety, everyone is more afraid of being dismissed or mocked than they are of the competition their company faces.
Edmondson uses the example of Cynthia Carroll, the former CEO of mining company Anglo American,. When trying to reduce the number of mining fatalities as much as possible, Carroll met thousands of miners, rather than just issuing an edict from on high.
This isn’t just heartening in theory; it works in practice. Carroll successfully reduced mining deaths by 62% in five years. It would be surprising if it didn’t make employees feel more connected to Anglo American’s leadership, and more psychologically safe as a result.
No, not necessarily. Another characteristic of a psychologically safe workplace is that it’s one led by people who aren’t afraid to admit that they don’t have the answers. After such an admission, there might be an awkward silence. But a good boss will elicit information and answers from their expert employees by asking open questions, encouraging participation, and ideally implementing formal structures in which information can be shared.
If a leader becomes known for responding to concerns and reservations, then people will be more likely to approach them with concerns and reservations. Every encounter helps to create what Edmondson calls a ‘fearless organization’.
“I’d like to admit to a mistake.”
“Don’t bring me bad news.”