Building Trust in Teams: How Psychological Safety Fuels High Performance

Team Communication

Trust isn't just a nice-to-have in the workplace—it's the foundation that makes everything else possible. But here's the thing: you can't just tell people to trust each other and expect it to happen. Real trust comes from creating what Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmundson calls psychological safety.

Let me share two stories that show the stark difference between a culture of psychological safety and one where it was completely absent.

In one organization where I worked, leadership intentionally fostered psychological safety—and it helped turn the company around. When I joined, they were recovering from multiple quarters of missed earnings and had just implemented major enterprise resource management systems to stabilize finances. But instead of focusing on blame and finger-pointing, they launched culture and process change initiatives to boost performance.

One standout example: they implemented after-action reviews where team members openly discussed what didn’t go well. These conversations were safe spaces to learn from mistakes, driving growth instead of blame. Innovative ideas flowed freely, and the workplace became both challenging and exciting.

Contrast that with another organization, where the leader of my function created a culture of fear by actively pressuring team members to cover up ethics violations and engaged in other behaviors that put the organization at risk. Even though I loved my work and the product, I resigned because once I understood what was going on, I just couldn’t be a part of it. Beyond my own experience, the financial and reputational fallout for the organization, once the truth came to light was huge.  

What is Psychological Safety?

According to Edmondson, psychological safety is "a shared belief held by members of a team that the team is safe for interpersonal risk taking."

In plain English: it’s when people feel comfortable being themselves, speaking up, and taking risks without fear of humiliation or punishment.

Why Should You Care? 

Google’s massive Project Aristotle study uncovered something eye-opening: teams with high psychological safety are:

• Less likely to leave

• Better at harnessing diverse ideas

• More innovative and revenue-generating

• Rated twice as effective by executives

Not bad for something that sounds so “touchy-feely,” right?

4 Practical Ways to Build Psychological Safety and Trust in Your Team

1. Share Your Own Mistakes

This one's counterintuitive but powerful. Instead of trying to look perfect all the time, share your own failures and what you learned from them. When leaders model vulnerability, it gives everyone else permission to be human too. Your team will respect you more, not less. And it will help them grow AND be more innovative. 

📌 Tip: Talk about the project that didn't go as planned or the decision you'd handle differently now.

2. Ask Questions Like You Actually Want Answers

Swap out the dismissive “Any questions?” with genuine curiosity. Ask questions that encourage critical thinking, such as “What am I missing?” or “What would need to be true for this to work better?” The key is asking questions that invite people to challenge your thinking, not just confirm what you already believe. 

📌 Tip: When someone does speak up, thank them—even if you disagree.

3. Separate Learning from Blame

When something goes wrong, resist the urge to immediately start pointing fingers. Instead, get curious about what happened and why. This doesn't mean accountability goes out the window—it just means you're creating space for honest reflection and learning first.

📌 Tip: Start by asking “What can we learn from this?” before asking “Who’s responsible?”

4. Invite Different Perspectives

Psychological safety isn't about everyone agreeing all the time. It's about creating an environment where disagreement is seen as a value add, not a threat. Actively seek out the quiet voices in the room. Sometimes the best ideas come from the most unexpected places.

📌 Tip: Notice who hasn't spoken up and directly invite their input.

The Bottom Line

Building trust through psychological safety isn't about lowering standards or avoiding difficult conversations. According to McKinsey, 89% of employees believe psychological safety is essential—and it's not just because it makes people feel good (though it does that too). It's because when people feel safe to bring their whole selves to work, magic happens. Teams innovate more, problems get solved faster, and trust builds naturally.

Start with one of these tips this week. You might be surprised how quickly things shift when people feel genuinely safe to contribute their best thinking.

Want help creating a culture of trust and psychological safety on your team?

I offer a complimentary 30-minute consultation to help leaders take the first step. If you’re ready to build a stronger, more innovative team, let’s talk!

👉 Schedule here