Here's how you can cultivate psychological safety within your team for maximum benefits.

Building trust begins with taking 100% responsibility for our words and actions. It means creating a culture that does not use blame or gossip but instead values candor without a need to be right. Psychological safety is created when leaders can admit their shortcomings, take responsibility for the decisions they make and remain open for candid feedback on the impact those decisions have.

There is no shadow of doubt that developing trust and living it consistently and successfully is the cornerstone of psychological safety One should always remember that building trust takes time but it is essential for making deserving progress!

Listening and empathizing can help you show your team members that you care about them and their opinions. While listening and empathizing, you'll begin creating real connections based in trust and safety. You can try to listen and empathize all day long, and if they don’t want to share, you won’t get very far.

Regular Check-ins: Establish a routine of regular one-on-one and team check-ins. Use these meetings for updates on work progress and to solicit feedback and thoughts on various aspects of team projects and dynamics. Create Open Forums: Implement open forums where team members can discuss ideas, challenges, and concerns. These should be structured to ensure everyone has a voice and can speak without interruptions. Active Listening Practices: Train and encourage team members to listen actively. This involves acknowledging what others are saying through paraphrasing, asking open-ended questions, and showing empathy. It reassures team members that their contributions are heard and valued.

Normalise Failure: Promote an understanding that failure is a natural part of the learning and innovation process. Share stories of past failures and how they led to valuable lessons and successes. Confidentiality and Support: Ensure that team members know their discussions, especially those involving sensitive feedback, and that they are treated with confidentiality. Provide support mechanisms for those dealing with fear, whether it's fear of inadequacy, discrimination, or personal anxieties. Transparent Decision-Making: Keep the decision-making process transparent to reduce fears related to bias and unfairness. Explain the 'why' behind decisions, especially those significantly affecting the team.

Diverse Perspectives: Actively seek and value different perspectives and backgrounds. This enriches the team’s output and reinforces the importance of each team member’s unique contributions. Inclusion Training: Provide training on inclusion practices, focusing on understanding and respecting cultural, gender, age, and other differences. Training should also cover unconscious biases and how to mitigate them. Inclusive Policies and Practices: Review and adapt team policies and practices to ensure they are inclusive. This includes everything from meeting times considering different time zones to language use and accessibility considerations for team activities.

Gossip and petty nonsense will jeopardize the best of teams. Team members should encourage each other to speak directly to one another and air out any issues and concerns with the source, rather than “vent” with fellow colleagues. As tempting as it might be, it poisons the water and leads to division and mistrust.