Psychological safety, the belief that you can make mistakes without punishment, is fragile. Something as simple as a biting comment can erode it away. That’s why, as a leader, it’s important that you quash these behaviors before they cause harm. You probably already know the kinds of behaviors I’m talking about. Because we’ve all seen actions in the workplace that alienate others:
Talking over other people or not inviting people to meetings they should be part of.
Spell-checking out loud or interrupting presentations.
Asking questions the person already knows the answers to, and so on.
Worse still, psychologically unsafe behaviors are sometimes more overtly hostile.
For example, a team member might use destructive language with another employee. Manipulative and passive-aggressive misbehaviors like this are death to psychological safety. Therefore, to maintain a safe and supportive company culture, they cannot be tolerated. If you see misbehavior within your team, bring attention to it immediately. Offer feedback or practice healthy authoritative power, but try not to respond with anger.
By eliminating negative behaviors, you can protect your team’s psychological safety. Which creates an environment conducive to a high-performing team.
