Have you ever walked away from a conversation or meeting with colleagues thinking “I wish I said what I really thought, but the repercussions just aren’t worth it”? If you answered yes, you’re not alone. In my two decades working with leaders across diverse industries, I’ve learned a crucial truth: psychological safety doesn’t magically appear simply because we talk about it. It’s built slowly and intentionally, through consistent behaviours and clear expectations. When teams feel safe, they share ideas, tackle difficult conversations, and experiment without fear—ultimately unlocking higher performance and stronger connections.
Why Psychological Safety in Teams Matters
At The Roundtable, we define psychological safety as the permission to show up as your authentic self without worrying about retribution or judgment. It sets the foundation for a highly functioning team and here’s just a few reasons why it’s a game changer:
- Improves Trust and Collaboration
When people feel safe to express themselves fully, they’re far more willing to challenge assumptions, brainstorm collectively, and truly collaborate. No one wants to speak up if they’re worried about looking foolish, stepping on toes or being reprimanded. - Enables Sustainable Progress
Sustainable progress happens when leaders really lean in to tackle root-cause issues rather than simply addressing surface level symptoms. Psychological safety gives teams the green light to highlight tough truths early, and the stamina to keep going in the face of adversity. - Enhances Self-Insight and Promotes Accountability
Without psychological safety, real accountability is tough to achieve and maintain. Vague feedback, or worse, no feedback at all, can leave people feeling confused at best, and suspicious in the worst case. In a safe environment, we can truly “get surgical” with our feedback—helping people clearly understand where they hitting the mark, and where they might need to make a shift to create more meaningful change.
3 Behaviours Leaders Can Adopt Today
Building psychological safety might sound abstract, but it actually boils down to consistent, intentional action. Here are three behaviours you can start practicing right now to build more safety within your team:
- Get Surgical with your Feedback
- Vague feedback kills momentum and leaves people second-guessing. If a team member’s presentation needs some work, don’t just say: “I’m going to make some edits to your slides.” Instead, try: “Your data points were strong, but let’s work on clarifying your key message to really highlight how cost savings link to our strategic priorities.”
- Specific, constructive feedback shows respect for your team member’s capabilities and helps them know exactly where they can apply behaviour change.
- Model Vulnerability and Accountability
- It’s easy to preach transparency; it’s much harder to show it. As a leader, own your missteps, share your learnings, and allow your team to see that you’re human.
- This approach sets the tone: we’re each accountable for our contributions, and it is a safe place to get support from colleagues and learn from mistakes.
- Cultivate Intentional Dialogue
- Sustainable progress requires open, meaningful conversation. Ask questions that invite deeper thinking: “What haven’t we considered?” or “Who else needs to weigh in?”
- By genuinely seeking input, and demonstrating openness to different perspectives, you signal that each voice has value, reinforcing the idea that safety in your team is a priority, not just a fleeting HR initiative.
How These Behaviours Fuel Team Success
Consistently demonstrating these behaviours, helps transition psychological safety from a corporate catchphrase to a lived reality:
- Teams tackle challenges head-on, using real-time feedback loops.
- Individuals feel empowered to offer fresh ideas or respectfully disagree—because their perspectives matter.
- You’ll see self-insight flourish, as people reflect on their contributions and how they can support the broader group.
At The Roundtable, we’ve spent years helping leaders build the trust needed to navigate complexity, and I’ve witnessed firsthand how these shifts move teams from surface-level cohesion to genuine connection.
Ready to build a culture where every voice matters? If you’re looking to accelerate trust and team effectiveness, let’s connect. Reach out to us, to book a complimentary scoping session and explore how The Roundtable can support you with strategic talent management and leadership development.
- Learn more about our programs
- Sign up for our complimentary Team Coaching Micro Course, where you’ll have access to exclusive resources and a self-assessment.
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