Psychological Safety

Google's research found psychological safety to be the strongest predictor of team success. Psychological safety was important because the service needed rapid learning and adaptation. Psychological safety is not presented as the absence of challenge. The article distinguishes psychological safety from physical safety while noting that the two can influence each other. The article distinguishes psychological safety from harmony or consensus. Psychological safety means people can speak, act, and participate without fear of humiliation, retaliation, or overwhelming threat. Google's research found that psychological safety — the assurance one can voice dissenting views without being excluded — is the single greatest predictor of team success, outranking IQ, diversity, and tenure. The service was effective partly because it rapidly adapted and improved, not because it avoided all failure. Psychological safety allowed staff to speak up, question, challenge, admit uncertainty, and suggest changes without fear. Psychological safety involves belonging to a group while being able to express dissent without expulsion. Psychological safety includes the ability to tell hard truths, ask for re…