Psychological Safety

By Miranda Dulin

Published in Glossary

January 28, 2024

1 min read

Definition of Psychological Safety

Psychological Safety is a team environment where members feel safe to take risks and be vulnerable.

Back of a vocabulary card for the term Psychological Safety

Example Sentence

Building psychological safety leads to better teamwork.

Agile practitioners should know about “psychological safety” because it’s crucial to teamwork, collaboration, and adaptability. It’s all about creating a team environment where everyone feels safe to speak up, share ideas, and even make mistakes without fear of being judged or punished. If team members are scared to express their thoughts or admit errors, they may inadvertently stifle progress and innovation. Teams must feel comfortable experimenting, learning from failures, and openly communicating to be effective. Also, when a team has psychological safety, it leads to better problem-solving and more creative solutions. Teams can recognize this advantage because everyone is comfortable throwing in their ideas and perspectives without being shut down. If you’re in a group where you feel valued and heard, you’re more likely to contribute your best work. For Agile teams to thrive, fostering an atmosphere of trust and respect is vital.