Psychological safety in the team

26.04.2023
It sounds so - psychological - but it is quite simple. It's the question of how much we dare to act according to our values and beliefs and how much we fear punishment.

I just bought a bed online. They told me it will be delivered in five big packages. Eventually, four packages arrived. One package got lost on its way, which is approximately 30 km. After two weeks, I'm still waiting for the fifth one.

The question about psychological safety is starting to pop up in my head. Could be entirely unrelated to the above event. But still, it is there. Have you ever wondered, how it is with the psychological safety in your team? And if you are wondering, how is this connected with the lost package story, here is my thinking.

Do people in this particular team involved with my package dare share their doubts, questions, and comments? Not behind one's back, but openly? Do they dare go the extra mile or do it differently, even though they are risking making a mistake?

psychological safety

Or is everybody just doing "their job" and "minding their own business"? Because making a mistake is costly, which means it comes with punishment in different ways. So no one tries to stick out of line and dissatisfaction is only shared in closed circles around coffee. And do people share constructive feedback with each other or do they express it with sarcasm and defense?

Psychological Danger

Does anyone know how to calculate the damage done to the business with this kind of behavior? Even if not, I believe we can imagine how many opportunities get lost, and how many misunderstandings, delays, and mistakes happen as a result of such behaviors. And the lost package might just be one of them...