How Leaders Fake Psychological Safety

When it comes to psychological safety, leaders want the best of both worlds: all voices heard and considered, failure acknowledged and learned from, and feedback offered clearly and received graciously. But they also want harmony, comfort, and a sense of equilibrium. While most leaders want to encourage people to speak their minds, their underlying (often unconscious) ambivalence about actually getting the truth can unwittingly lead them to a performative version of psychological safety. And data suggests that only about a quarter of leaders develop the skills needed to create psychological safety for their teams. The author recounts three well-intentioned but misguided ways leaders try to “fake” psychological safety on their teams and presents strategies for creating an environment that welcomes dissenting voices.