Building Psychological Safety in Your Team

No Matter Your Starting Point

In our last post, we explored the tandem drivers of psychological safety; a willingness to challenge and the ability to be vulnerable. We presented these constructs in a 2X2 matrix where the ideal state, a Psychologically Safe team, Quadrant 1, is defined by both constructs being in a ‘high’ state. It’s a powerful combination, but it doesn’t happen by accident.

So how do you stay in Quadrant 1 if you’re already there? And how do you move towards it if you’re not?

Let’s break it down.

Quadrant 1: Challenge + Vulnerability

You’re here. Stay here.

What to do:

• Model it relentlessly: Leaders must continue to show vulnerability (e.g. “I got that wrong”, “I need help”) and invite challenge (e.g. “What am I missing?”, “Push back if you disagree”).
• Reward the behaviour, not just the outcome: Celebrate people who speak up, admit mistakes, or challenge constructively, even if the result isn’t perfect.
• Run regular retrospectives: Use them not just to improve work, but to check the team’s psychological climate. Ask: “When did we challenge well? When did we hold back?”
• Watch for drift: Teams can slide into comfort or conflict. Keep a pulse on both candour and care.

Quadrant 2: Challenge + No Vulnerability

You’ve got intellectual rigour, but not emotional safety.

What to do:

• Normalise imperfection: Leaders should go first in admitting what they don’t know or where they’ve failed. This sets the tone.
• Shift from debate to dialogue: Encourage curiosity over combat. Ask people to build on each other’s ideas, not just critique them.
• Train for empathy: Run sessions on active listening, non-defensive responses, and how to give feedback that lands.
• Make it safe to say “I don’t know”: Create rituals where people can share what they’re struggling with, without fear of judgement.

Quadrant 3: No Challenge + Vulnerability

You’ve got warmth, but not edge.

What to do:

• Reframe challenge as care: Help people see that challenging someone’s idea is a form of respect, not aggression.
• Introduce structured dissent: Use tools like red teaming, pre-mortems, or “devil’s advocate” roles to make challenge a normal part of the process.
• Train for assertiveness: Many people avoid challenge because they fear conflict. Equip them with language and techniques to disagree constructively.
• Make challenge a team KPI: Track how often people raise concerns, offer alternatives, or question assumptions.

Quadrant 4: No Challenge + No Vulnerability

You’re in the danger zone.

What to do:

• Start with safety: Vulnerability must come first. Leaders must show it before expecting it.
• Create small, low-risk moments: Use check-ins, anonymous feedback, or “failure of the week” stories to build trust.
• Name the silence: If no one’s speaking up, say so. Ask: “What are we not talking about that we should be?”
• Bring in external facilitation: Sometimes a neutral party can help surface issues that feel too risky to raise internally.
• Measure progress: Use pulse surveys or team health checks to track movement over time.

Final thought:

Quadrant 1 isn’t a destination, it’s a discipline. It requires constant attention, deliberate modelling, and a shared commitment to truth over comfort. HR and leaders play different roles, but both are essential. HR builds the systems and scaffolding. Leaders set the tone and walk the talk.

If you’re not in Quadrant 1 yet, don’t panic. Just pick a quadrant-specific action and start there. The shift begins with one honest moment, one brave challenge, one leader who goes first.

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Generator Talent Group

Generator Talent Group