Building High-Trust Teams
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Lessons in Psychological Safety is a crucial topic for leaders and organisations striving for innovation, engagement, and resilience.
Let’s first of all consider the definition…psychological safety is the belief that one can speak up, take risks, and express themselves without fear of failure or negative feedback within a team. The concept was popularised by Dr. Amy Edmondson of Harvard Business School. Psychological safety is also identified as the most critical factor in high-performing teams.
The core principles are open communication, where people feel free to ask questions, admit mistakes, or offer new ideas. Leaders listen actively and respond without blaming. Everyone’s voice is valued equally, regardless of role or tenure. Disagreements are addressed respectfully.
To challenge the status quo of some aspects in business, risk taking without repercussion is a key principle. Innovation and creativity flourish when failure is not viewed negatively.
Team members offer consistent support, and back each other up during challenges…think of the expression “I have your back.”
Leaders set the tone by being approachable and transparent. This can include sharing their own mistakes to normalise vulnerability…similarly, inviting feedback regularly: “What’s one thing I could do better?”
Fostering inclusive dialogue is important, rotating who speaks in meetings to avoid dominant voices. When someone shares a new idea or flags a concern, respond with curiosity: “Tell me more.” Thank people for speaking up…even if the outcome is uncertain.
Encourage learning from failure and conduct “without fault” research to explore what went wrong without finger pointing, sharing lessons learned across teams.
A Gallup poll showed the benefits of high trust teams:
- 76% higher engagement
- 50% more productive
- 57% reduction in turnover
Psychological safety isn’t a soft skill—it’s a strategic advantage. When people feel safe, they bring their full selves to work, unlocking creativity, collaboration, and peak performance. It starts with leaders, but it’s owned by everyone. No one comes to work to be ignored, overlooked or even afraid. Safety builds trust. Trust builds teams. And teams build the future.
“Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships.”
Stephen R Covey
