50 Practical Ways to Build Psychological Safety in Your Team

Last week I wrote about the five factors that foster psychological safety in organizations and why it’s important to be a safe leader. Creating an environment of trust and safety where team members feel secure in being vulnerable and taking risks can seem like an overwhelming task. How does one actually going about doing that?

A safe and trusting team culture is the result of a series of decisions and actions that build upon each other. The behaviors and strategies used to build psychological safety aren’t rocket science, but they require a leader’s commitment, focus, and energy. Here’s a list of fifty practical ways you can build a team culture of trust and safety:

1. Ask, “What can I do to help?”
2. Say, “I trust your decision.”
3. Ask, “What can I do differently?”
4. Ask, “What do you think is the best course of action?”
5. Admit your mistakes.
6. Treat mistakes as learning moments.
7. Don’t treat everyone the same.
8. Put employees ahead of customers.
9. Promote learning opportunities.
10. Be securely vulnerable.
11. Follow the Platinum Rule – Treat others the way they want to be treated
12. Welcome curiosity.
13. Promote healthy conflict.
14. Give employees a voice.
15. Extend trust.
16. Be trustworthy.
17. Promote effectiveness, not efficiency.
18. Encourage creativity in problem solving.
19. Establish accountability with clear expectations.
20. Share your intent.
21. Be present; don’t multitask.
22. Control your temper.
23. Build rapport.
24. Tell the truth.
25. Follow through on commitments.
26. Walk the talk.
27. Solicit feedback from others.
28. Use the feedback from others when making decisions.
29. Listen without interrupting.
30. Take responsibility for your actions.
31. Share your expertise with others.
32. Be a mentor.
33. Keep confidences.
34. Recognize and reward good behavior.
35. Don’t bend the rules.
36. Avoid gossip.
37. Speak positively about others and the organization.
38. Address behavior not in alignment with organizational values.
39. Show care, concern, and compassion for others.
40. Put others’ needs ahead of your own.
41. Share information about yourself and the organization.
42. Establish clear norms for your team.
43. Develop and implement a clear decision-making process.
44. Encourage responsible risk-taking.
45. Encourage diverse points of view.
46. Celebrate achievements and have fun.
47. Promote autonomy and freedom.
48. Implement health and wellness strategies.
49. Conduct team-building activities and events.
50. Provide training on communication, interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, building trust, etc.