Transforming Decent Team Dinamics into Exceptional Ones through Psychological Safety

Transforming Capable Teams into Exceptional Ones through Psychological Safety

Have you ever felt that sense of freedom, yet understood its scarcity? It's a sentiment described by Harvard professor Amy Edmondson over two decades ago - the belief that you can voice your thoughts or speak up without facing backlash from your peers. Have you ever been part of a team that operates in this manner? Our studies with countless teams argue that if you've experienced this sense of psychological safety, you're among the fortunate few. Over a period of 20 years, we've found that 72% of team members avoid conflict, with the average team scoring a mere 2.4 on our 5-point evaluation scale in their capacity to criticize one another honestly. Although we frequently discuss this concept in our organizations, few truly understand its essence.

The Psychological Safety Deficit

In my career, I've had the privilege of observing psychological safety in action within numerous high-performing teams. It cultivates transparency, responsibility, and represents the "we care about one another" connections that fuel the sense of camaraderie and dedication to team members, as well as task completion. I would argue that psychological safety is a critical component of what I describe in my latest bestseller, Never Lead Alone, as teamship. Teamship refers to the ultimate competitive edge where coworkers jointly lead teams and help each other excel to achieve outstanding performance.

When Teams Master Psychological Safety

While effective teams rely on leaders to create psychological safety by taking the initiative, exceptional teams establish it by collaborating and supporting each other. World-class teams that score 4.5 on our 5-point evaluation scale for honesty benefit from psychological safety as one of the factors that enables them to unlock innovation, expedite decision-making, and trigger breakthrough performance.

Two Leaders Who Cracked the Code

Consider Bill Connors at Comcast, who serves as president of Xfinity, management of the largest broadband and pay-TV operator in the United States, catering to over 52 million customers and generating $60 billion in revenue. During his senior team meetings, he sets a clear expectation: "This isn't the occasion to show off how well the team is doing," Connors explains. "Everyone is laying bare their problems, addressing everyone's difficulties, and the team's focus is on addressing these operational challenges." Connors' approach has turned his business units into market share growth drivers, ranking as the largest EBITDA contributor among all business units in the Comcast/NBCUniversal family.

Meanwhile, Bob Pittman at iHeartMedia, a prestigious media industry veteran and Hall of Famer who co-founded MTV and held top positions at MTV Networks and AOL Networks, pushed psychological safety even further. As leader of America's leading audio company, reaching nine out of ten Americans each month through its network of 860+ radio stations, digital platforms, and podcast business, Pittman made dissent an essential corporate value. "We welcome dissent across the team," says Pittman, "and we want to hear it because it's indispensable." "Interdisciplinary dissent is always about addressing real challenges," he adds, "not about criticizing ideas without offering solutions."

How High-Performing Teams Put It into Practice: The Power of Three

One of the most influential yet often disregarded team collaboration strategies is the Power of Three. By breaking the entire team into smaller teams of three people, even for five to eight minutes, you trigger a significant surge in psychological safety. Our data reveals that a 85% increase in candor occurs in these smaller breakout rooms when the team meets in person or collaborates remotely. In these smaller settings, people feel more empowered to express themselves openly. In a crowded meeting room, the solution may be as simple as turning chairs toward each other for more intimate group conversations.

As Pittman explains: "I used to believe that we would have healthy debates among teams of fifteen people. Then, after leaving the meeting, you'd observe two individuals in the hallway discussing issues that truly needed to be addressed inside the meeting but went unexpressed due to a lack of time or confidence. By utilizing small conversation pods, we gain a more comprehensive understanding of what's happening and facilitate a more engaging, enlightening discussion. If we don't embrace the Power of Three, I know that the truth will be discussed outside the meeting, causing us all to suffer as a result."

Crafting Your Team's Breakthrough

The results can be staggering. Teams that embrace psychological safety display characteristics that set apart world-class teams: collaboration and accountability both surge dramatically. At iHeart, Pittman reinforces this through a straightforward rule: "Don't say anything in my office that you wouldn't say during the STRATCOM meeting... And I don't want a summary of what you've accomplished. Please don't bring that to this meeting. Instead, reveal exceptions, highlight places where you are encountering difficulties, and acknowledge your peers who are offering assistance."

In today's corporate climate, psychological safety is no longer a luxury, but a strategic imperative. The decision is yours: adhere to traditional methods where candor is infrequent and innovation is stifled, or foster teams inspired by the power of psychological safety that unlocks the full potential of each member. Are you prepared to take this leap of faith?

psychologically safe teams often exhibit higher levels of transparency and accountability, fostering a sense of camaraderie and dedication to team members and tasks, as noted in the book 'Never Lead Alone'.
exceptional teams can establish psychological safety by collaborating and supporting each other, leading to increased innovation, faster decision-making, and breakthrough performance, as seen in teams scoring 4.5 out of 5 on the evaluation scale.
Bill Connors, president of Xfinity, emphasizes the importance of addressing problems and operational challenges during senior team meetings, which has helped drive market share growth in his business units.
Bob Pittman at iHeartMedia strengthens psychological safety by making dissent a corporate value, encouraging team members to voice their concerns and offer solutions, leading to a more enlightening discussion among the team.