Let’s be honest: psychological safety has become one of those corporate buzzwords that floats around executive meetings, gets a glossy mention in leadership training, and finds itself proudly displayed on company values posters right next to “collaboration” and “innovation”.
We know the model:
Inclusion Safety – I feel I belong here.
Learner Safety – I can ask questions without fear.
Contributor Safety – I can add value without second-guessing myself.
Challenger Safety – I can challenge the status quo without repercussions.
And yet, despite knowing these ingredients, psychological safety often remains more of a slogan than a reality.
In my experience, most leaders genuinely believe their teams feel safe. There’s no shouting, meetings are civil, everyone smiles and nods - job done, right?
Not quite.
The absence of visible conflict isn’t peace - it’s fear with a corporate filter.
Google’s renowned Project Aristotle found that psychological safety was the number one predictor of high-performing teams. And yet, Gallup’s 2023 research revealed that only 3 in 10 employees strongly agree their opinions count at work. That number hasn’t shifted significantly, even as organisations have poured time and money into training.
Why Don’t Leaders Walk the Talk?
Let’s get real. If we’ve all been taught the theory why aren’t we applying it?
Here are some reasons I’ve encountered (and, if I’m honest, occasionally witnessed in myself too):
We mistake silence for safety If no one’s pushing back, we assume we’re doing well. But silence isn’t agreement—it’s often self-protection.
We conflate comfort with safety Real psychological safety isn’t about keeping everyone comfortable. It’s about making it safe to be uncomfortable - to disagree, fail, learn, and try again.
We have ego in the room Many leaders (with the best of intentions) hear a challenge and feel personally attacked. It’s human but it also shuts down dialogue.
We suffer from the perception gap A 2021 McKinsey study showed that leaders are twice as likely as employees to believe their workplace is psychologically safe. That’s a big blind spot.
We don't get feedback from the right people. In 2025, Professor Megan Reitz and John Higgins found that leaders often exist in an echo chamber and rely on the same 5 people for advice.
And then comes the great irony…
When an employee actually does speak up and question how psychologically safe the culture really is, they’re often met with something like: “Of course it’s safe here you can always speak up!” Which, of course, dismisses their experience and reinforces the very problem they were trying to name.
What Actually Works?
So, if awareness isn’t enough, what can we actually do to build cultures where people feel truly safe?
Here are five practical, research-backed actions that I’ve seen make a real difference:
1. Measure Psychological Safety Regularly—and Act on It
Use team pulse surveys, anonymous feedback tools, or Edmondson’s Psychological Safety Index. But here’s the key: don’t just collect data. Discuss it. Reflect on it. Act visibly.
*Teams with high psychological safety are 27% more likely to report stronger performance (Harvard Business Review, 2020).
2. Respond Well to Bad News
When someone raises a concern or makes a mistake, treat it as a sign of trust - not as a threat. Your reaction will either invite more honesty… or shut it down completely.
* Leaders who respond constructively to dissent see a 35% increase in team innovation (Centre for Creative Leadership).
3. Say “I Don’t Know” More Often
Vulnerability builds trust. When leaders model uncertainty or ask for help, they send a powerful message: It’s okay not to have all the answers.
*Humble leadership correlates with an 18% increase in learning behaviours in teams (Journal of Applied Psychology, 2021).
4. Normalise Dissent
Make it safe to challenge ideas as a matter of process. Assign devil’s advocates, conduct “pre-mortems”, or build in structured challenges to groupthink.
*Psychologically safe teams are 12x more likely to harness cognitive diversity (Google, Project Aristotle).
5. Make It Personal and Continuous
Psychological safety isn’t something you have, it’s something you create. It’s in the way you respond to a hesitant idea. It’s in how you thank someone for difficult feedback. It’s in admitting when you didn’t handle something well.
Final Thoughts
We’re not lacking knowledge...we’re lacking follow-through.
Yes, the model is clear. Yes, the research is in. But none of that matters if we aren’t prepared to sit with discomfort, invite challenge, and reflect honestly.
So the next time someone questions how psychologically safe your culture is, pause. Thank them. Ask them to tell you more. That moment...right there...is your opportunity to actually be the leader you thought you were being all along.