Psychological Safety

The Hidden Engine of High-Performing Teams

Google’s Project Aristotle, a landmark study involving over 180 teams, found that psychological safety—not talent, tenure, or tools—was the #1 predictor of team success. At EQCC, we believe that culture is the invisible thread that binds people together, and psychological safety is its strongest fibre.

Psychological safety is the belief that you can speak up, take risks, and make mistakes without fear of humiliation or punishment. It’s the foundation for innovation, collaboration, and resilience. According to Gallup, teams with high psychological safety experience 19% higher productivity, 31% more innovation, and 27% lower turnover.

Aristotle

Google’s Project Aristotle was a comprehensive study to understand what makes teams effective. The project analysed over 180 teams with psychologists, management consultants, and data scientists. They identified five key traits:

1. Psychological Safety: A shared belief that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking.

2. Dependability: Team members reliably complete tasks and meet deadlines.

3. Structure and Clarity: Clear roles, plans, and goals ensure alignment.

4. Meaning of Work: Team members find personal value in their tasks.

5. Impact of Work: The team believes their work contributes to a greater purpose.

Among these, psychological safety emerged as the most critical factor. Teams with high psychological safety were more likely to harness the power of diverse ideas, take risks, and collaborate effectively without fear of negative consequences. The data revealed that psychological safety was correlated with 43% of the variance in team performance.

The Innovation Imperative

There is something to be said about the necessity for psychological safety to exist before creativity or innovation can happen. In a time when businesses are calling for greater innovation, many are not setting the environment for it. Without psychological safety, creativity withers under fear of judgment or failure. Innovation requires vulnerability—sharing untested ideas, challenging the status quo, and risking failure. These behaviours flourish only in environments where people feel safe.

Creativity is inherently vulnerable. Whether you're an artist, musician, entrepreneur, or innovator, creating something new requires exposing a part of yourself to the world, often without any guarantee of acceptance or success. As Carrie Fisher once said, “Take your broken heart, make it into art”. This sentiment captures the emotional risk embedded in creativity: to bear your soul, to risk failure, and to be seen. Highly creative individuals often possess a unique kind of courage—the willingness to lean into uncertainty and discomfort. Entrepreneurs share this trait too; they must tolerate the fear of failure to build something meaningful. Consider Vincent van Gogh, who created over 2,000 artworks in his lifetime, most of which were unrecognised during his life. He once wrote, “I would rather die of passion than of boredom,” a testament to the emotional intensity and risk-taking that creativity demands. In psychologically safe environments, people are more likely to take these creative risks because they know that failure won’t be punished but rather seen as part of the process. Their sense of self is intact and secure. Leaders are the custodians of culture. By modelling vulnerability, inviting feedback, and recognising diverse contributions, they create environments where people feel safe to contribute. Our Strategic Partnership Sessions and Collaborative Alignment packages help teams build trust, clarify expectations, and align around shared values.

Psychological safety isn’t a soft skill—it’s a strategic asset. When people feel safe, they bring their full selves to work. They challenge ideas, share insights, and co-create solutions. Want to build a culture where your team thrives? Book a Discovery Call.