Psychological Safety: Without It, Nothing Else Matters

Hey there! Thanks for stopping by. I’m Joe Knapp, and I’ve been in IT for over 25 years, with the last 10 digging deep into agile. I’ve worn a lot of hats—Product Owner, Scrum Master, coach—across different organizations, and I’ve put a lot of thought into what I should write about for my first real post (welcome posts don’t count). I’m passionate about helping teams find new ways of working and building awesome cultures—ones rooted in trust, empowerment, learning, and experimentation, where amazing teams can thrive. There’s an endless list of topics I find valuable, so I wrestled with where to start. I landed on psychological safety because, in my experience as a team member, manager, and now coach, nothing crushes high-performing individuals and teams more than a lack of safety. I’ve seen it firsthand—when people don’t feel safe to speak up or take risks, it doesn’t matter if you’re running Scrum, Kanban, or something else; you’re capping what they can do. In this post, I’ll break down what psychological safety is, why it’s a big deal, how to spot it—or the lack of it—and a no-nonsense way to figure out where your team stands. I’m here to share practical ideas you can actually use to build a team where everyone feels free to bring their best. Let’s get into it!

What Is Psychological Safety?

In the context of an agile team, psychological safety is the shared belief that team members can take interpersonal risks—like sharing ideas, asking questions, raising concerns, or admitting mistakes—without fear of punishment or humiliation. This culture of openness and trust is vital for agile frameworks, which rely on transparency, inspection, and adaptation to deliver value effectively. Harvard professor Amy Edmondson defines psychological safety as “a shared belief held by members of a team that the team is safe for interpersonal risk taking” (Scrum Requires Psychological Safety).

In my experience, it’s about creating a space where team members feel safe to take risks—whether that’s sharing a bold idea, asking a “dumb” question, or admitting a mistake—without fear of being judged or punished. It’s the trust that your team has your back, and you have theirs. For agile teams, this is non-negotiable. Imagine a sprint review where a developer hesitates to flag an issue because they’re afraid of blame. That’s a missed chance to learn and improve, which is the heart of Agile.

Why Psychological Safety Matters

“It’s not just about having the right processes; it’s about creating an environment where people feel safe to contribute their best.“

Psychological safety is the backbone of high-performing agile teams. Without it, teams struggle to collaborate effectively, innovate, or adapt to challenges. Research, including Google’s Project Aristotle, suggests that psychological safety is the most critical factor in building high-performing teams(How psychological safety captured the world’s attention). It’s not just about having the right processes; it’s about creating an environment where people feel safe to contribute their best. A lack of psychological safety can lead to:

In teams lacking psychological safety, fear of speaking up leads to silent discussions where many members remain quiet, causing issues to go unaddressed and opportunities to be missed. This breakdown in communication prevents Scrum teams from fully realizing their potential (Why Psychological Safety Enhances the Abilities of the Scrum Team).

Real-World Example: Learning from Failure

I recently came across a LinkedIn post by Adrienne Leighton, shared by my friend and former colleague Matt Hughes (Matt Hughes), that perfectly illustrates psychological safety in action. In her post, Adrienne, a seasoned professional in the tech industry, discussed her experience with failure while working on an operating model at a prior employer. She emphasized the need to celebrate “intelligent failure”—failures that are quick, cheap, unique, and hypothesis-driven—as a way to foster learning and innovation (Adrienne’s Post).

Adrienne shared that experiments often fail in what she calls the “emergent domain” because of unknown unknowns. She stressed that to improve and experiment, we need a culture without fear of “bad news.” This aligns perfectly with the concept of psychological safety, where team members feel safe to take risks and learn from their mistakes without fear of punishment or humiliation.

In her talk at Walgreens’ Technology Town Hall, titled “5 mins of FLAWsome,” Adrienne role-modeled vulnerability by sharing her own experiences and lessons learned. By doing so, she encouraged others to view failure as an opportunity for growth rather than something to be feared. This example highlights how psychological safety can transform a team’s approach to failure. When team members feel safe, they are more likely to experiment, take risks, and learn from their mistakes, ultimately leading to better outcomes and innovation.

Characteristics of a Psychologically Safe Environment

A psychologically safe environment in an agile team fosters collaboration and growth. Based on my experience and insights from Scrum.org, here are key characteristics:

I think we instinctively know when our environment is safe. We’ve all joined team meetings where everyone was focused on the work, but you couldn’t identify a hierarchy. Everyone was communicating, good and bad ideas. They poke fun at one another, they joke around. But the work got done. And it got done well. The team had a sense of pride in the value they delivered. Business stakeholders knew they could bring any problem to this team. These behaviors align with Scrum values like openness and courage, making teams more effective (Psychological Safety: The Key).

Red Flags of a Psychologically Unsafe Environment

Conversely, an unsafe environment undermines team performance. Watch for these red flags in your teams:

I’ve seen team members adjust work item statuses to avoid management scrutiny—a clear sign of fear and poor psychological safety. They hesitate to enforce a Definition of Ready or feel unsafe negotiating priorities with business stakeholders. In some teams, direct communication breaks down—people escalate issues to management instead of resolving them directly, fostering distance and distrust. These real-world red flags highlight the urgent need to address psychological safety directly.

Assessing Your Team’s Psychological Safety

Wondering where your team stands? Ask yourself: Do you feel safe sharing ideas? Do your teammates or employees? A great starting point is the Psychologically Safe Team Assessment from Workplace Strategies for Mental Health. This free, online tool evaluates psychological safety across three key areas: leadership, team interactions, and inclusion. It takes less than 10 minutes to set up, is emailed to team members, and delivers a report with scores, strengths, and areas for improvement. I’ve used it with teams to spark honest conversations and pinpoint growth opportunities. Leaders should also explore the Psychologically Safe Leader Assessment, which is also free.

You can also observe your team’s dynamics. Are people open in stand-ups? Do they shy away from feedback? These clues can tell you a lot about your team’s safety level.

Practical Steps to Build Psychological Safety

Building psychological safety takes time and intention, but it’s worth every effort. Here are some practical steps I’ve used in my coaching that can help you foster a safer, more trusting environment for your team:

• Lead by Example: Vulnerability starts at the top. Share your own mistakes or uncertainties to show it’s okay to be human. Being open with your vulnerability can open the door for others to speak up about their challenges. This simple act can break down barriers and encourage others to take risks.
• Encourage Participation: Make sure everyone has a voice, especially in key meetings like retrospectives or stand-ups. Ask open-ended questions like, “What’s one thing we could improve?” or “What’s blocking you?” to invite input. Silence often signals fear, so actively create space for quieter team members to contribute.
• Celebrate Learning, Not Just Success: Frame mistakes as opportunities for growth, not failures. When a team member tries something new and it doesn’t work out, highlight the learning, not the setback. This mindset shift encourages experimentation and reduces fear of failure.
• Build Relationships: Trust grows when people feel seen and heard. Take time to connect with your team personally—whether through a quick coffee chat or a casual check-in. These small moments build the foundation for deeper trust.
• Seek Feedback and Act on It: Regularly ask your team for input on how things are going, and—crucially—act on what you hear. This shows you value their perspective and are committed to improving the environment.
• Praise in Public, Criticize in Private: As a manager or leader, how you handle feedback can make or break psychological safety. Celebrate wins and recognize contributions in front of the team to boost morale and reinforce positive behaviors. When correction is needed, do it privately to avoid embarrassment or defensiveness. This approach builds trust and shows respect for your team’s dignity.
• Examine Your Own Impact: If you’re in a leadership role, take a hard look at yourself. Ask: Am I contributing to a safe environment, or am I part of the problem? Reflect on your behaviors—do you listen actively, or do you shut down dissent? Are you approachable, or do people hesitate to bring you bad news? Do you see red flags like hesitancy to speak up, a culture of escalation, or high stress on your teams? If so, consider how your actions might be feeding into these issues. Psychological safety starts with you, so be willing to adjust your approach to better support your team.

These steps, grounded in my experience coaching teams across industries, can help you create a culture where psychological safety thrives. Remember, it’s not about perfection—it’s about progress. Small, consistent actions build trust over time.

Conclusion

Psychological safety isn’t just a buzzword—it’s the secret sauce for high-performing agile teams. As someone who’s seen it transform teams across various industries, I can tell you it’s worth the effort. It unlocks collaboration, innovation, and trust, making Scrum or Kanban truly shine. Start with the Psychologically Safe Team Assessment to see where your team stands, and take one small step today to build a safer environment. What’s one thing you’ll try to make your team feel safer? Drop your thoughts on AtC or LinkedIn—I’d love to hear from you!

References

• High-Performing Teams Need Psychological Safety: Here’s How to Create It
• Scrum Requires Psychological Safety
• Why Psychological Safety Enhances the Abilities of the Scrum Team
• Psychological Safety: The Key to Team Success
• Creating a Safe Haven: Fostering Psychological Safety in Scrum Teams
• Adrienne Leighton’s LinkedIn Post on Intelligent Failure
• Matt Hughes LinkedIn Profile
• Psychologically Safe Team Assessment
• Psychologically Safe Leader Assessment