What people get wrong about psychological safety from HBR is a great read. I have seen too many clients use psych safety as a reason for people to work from home, leave meetings, get special consideration for different abilities; they have misappropriated the term.
The original term was about creating a team environment where people could speak up about an issue and be heard. Where they can be reprimanded for something and still be and feel valued as members of the team.
It’s not a gift for one participant but an environment for the whole team.
Leaders don’t need to agree with what people say in open forum. That is not pscyhological safety. And they need to listen.
The issue for consultants like me working in environments is when the leaders / HR / key people think psych safety is making sure a neuro-divergent thinker can wear their headphones, they are talking about maybe psychological comfort or diversity and inclusion, but they are calling it psychological safety.
What to do?
