What is psychological safety in a team?

Psychological safety is the shared perception, within a team, that it is possible to express ideas, questions or mistakes without fear of negative consequences for relationships.

The concept was developed by Amy Edmondson and has also been explored by organisational research, including Google’s Project Aristotle, which highlighted it as a recurring element in effective teams.

It doesn’t mean the absence of conflict or feeling good together: it means, precisely, being able to face disagreements openly and constructively.

When it is present, it raises the quality of discussion and increases learning, collaboration and innovation.