BLOG
Written by Nicole Renggli, Owner of younique hr consulting | Nicole Renggli | LinkedIn
At first glance, everything seems fine. The team atmosphere is calm, there are no heated debates, and meetings run smoothly. Conflicts? Barely noticeable. Criticism? Rare.
Many leaders would interpret this as a sign of a healthy team culture. But in reality, the opposite is often true. When no one disagrees, no one asks questions, and no one challenges ideas, it doesn’t necessarily mean harmony — it often signals insecurity. People stay quiet because they’re afraid. They hold back because they’ve learned: if you speak up, you might get into trouble.
The term psychological safety was coined in the late 1990s by Harvard professor Amy Edmondson. Initially studying team dynamics in medical settings, she found something surprising: Teams that openly discussed mistakes didn’t make more of them — they handled them better. They performed better, learned faster, and interacted more honestly. Since then, psychological safety has become a key concept in organizational development, leadership training, and modern workplace psychology. But only in recent years has it gained the attention it truly deserves — and for good reason.
Our work environment is changing rapidly.
Flat hierarchies, virtual collaboration, constant transformation, cultural diversity, agile methods — all of it requires communication at eye level. We need employees who think critically, contribute actively, speak up, and bring their whole selves to the table. But that only happens if the system allows it. If psychological safety is present.
At the same time, we’re seeing the opposite in many organizations: high levels of uncertainty, growing pressure, office politics, and defensive leadership. People withdraw, adapt quietly — or walk away altogether. What’s more:
Little innovation because new ideas aren’t voiced. Mistakes creep in because no one dares to intervene early. Progress halts because no one is willing to take a stand.
Psychological safety is no longer a “soft skill” topic. It’s a survival factor for modern teams — and one of the most critical foundations for healthy, sustainable performance.
But psychological safety doesn’t arise from a few nice words on a company website or one-off coaching sessions. It grows from a lived mindset — especially in leadership. It requires environments where openness isn’t punished. Feedback that’s allowed to be honest. Leaders who listen rather than defend.
And teams who know: Here, I can be myself. With my questions. My mistakes. My criticism.
Because a team where no one speaks up is not a strong team.
It’s an insecure one. And over time, that’s not just unhealthy — it’s seriously expensive.