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What is Psychological Safety?

It’s the audacity to share ideas, ask questions, voice concerns, or admit mistakes without fear of punishment or humiliation. At work, it’s the expectation that leaders and teammates won’t embarrass, reject, or punish you for taking risks or seeking feedback.

 

On the flip side, low psychological safety means biting your tongue and letting mediocre initiatives slide. This leads to organizational chaos, potential disasters, and disengaged top talent.

 

When people feel safe speaking up, the quality, candor, and openness of conversations skyrocket. And in today’s knowledge economy, conversations are currency.

It's not about parties, perks, or trophies.
We're talking about:

The 4 Stages of
Psychological Safety™

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As certified practitioners, we are honored to partner with LeaderFactor and provide their research and work with our clients. 

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The 4 Stages of Psychological Safety™ is a universal pattern that reflects the natural progression of human needs in social settings. These needs exist across demographics, psychographics, nations, and cultures.

Teams progress through these stages as they intentionally create cultures of rewarded vulnerability:

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  1. Inclusion Safety

  2. Learner Safety

  3. Contributor Safety

  4. Challenger Safety

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Edgar Schein and Warren Bennis from MIT

They first put the concept of psychological safety on the academic research agenda in 1965 in their book, "Personal and Organizational Change Through Group Methods;" they defined it as “providing an atmosphere where one can take chances without fear and with sufficient protection.”

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