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Leadership Term

Psychological Safety

Definition

A shared belief that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking. Team members feel confident they won't be punished, humiliated, or rejected for speaking up with questions, concerns, mistakes, or new ideas.

Key Principles

  • Mistakes are learning opportunities, not failures
  • Questions and concerns are welcomed
  • Different perspectives are valued
  • Conflict focuses on ideas, not people
  • Vulnerability is met with support

Examples in Practice

  • A team where members openly share when they don't know something
  • Post-mortems that focus on improving systems rather than blaming individuals
  • Junior team members feeling comfortable challenging senior leaders' ideas

Related Terms

Servant Leadership

A leadership philosophy where the primary goal of the leader is to serve others. Servant leaders prioritize the growth, well-being, and empowerment of their team members, creating environments where people can develop and perform at their best.

Emotional Intelligence

The ability to recognize, understand, manage, and effectively use emotions in yourself and others. In leadership, emotional intelligence enables better communication, conflict resolution, and team dynamics.

1:1 Meetings

Regular, scheduled conversations between a manager and each of their direct reports. These meetings are primarily for the team member's benefit, covering their priorities, obstacles, feedback, and development.

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