292: Why Psychological Safety Matters with Amy Edmondson

Are you creating the right conditions for your team to learn and thrive?

In this episode of the Happier at Work podcast, Aoife O'Brien is joined by world-renowned expert in psychological safety, Amy Edmondson. Together, they dive deep into what psychological safety truly means in the workplace, why it is essential for organisational learning, innovation, and effective teamwork, and how leaders can practically build it within their teams. Drawing on decades of research, Amy shares actionable strategies, common pitfalls, and the foundational role of conversation, candor, and curiosity in creating environments where people feel safe to speak up, share dissenting views, and take interpersonal risks for the benefit of collective excellence.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

1. Why impression management, hierarchy, and the pressure to “know it all” can undermine curiosity, learning, and innovation.
2. The impact of a lack of psychological safety at work.
3. How to test for psychological safety at work, and the signs to watch out for.
4. The importance of continuous, learning-oriented feedback conversations, and why they are more effective than annual subjective evaluations.

Related Topics Covered:

Collaboration at Work, Feedback, Setting Boundaries

Connect with Aoife O’Brien | Host of Happier at Work®:

1. Website
2. LinkedIn
3. YouTube

Connect with Amy Edmondson | World-renowned Expert in Psychological Safety:

1. Website
2. LinkedIn

Related Episodes You’ll Love:

Episode 66: Workplace psychological Safety with Susan Ní Chriodáin

Episode 68: Embracing the gentle art of humble inquiry with Edgar and Peter Schein

About Happier at Work®

Happier at Work® is the podcast for business leaders who want to create meaningful, human-centric workplaces. Hosted by Aoife O’Brien, the show explores leadership, career clarity, imposter syndrome, workplace culture, and employee engagement — helping you and your team thrive.

If you enjoy podcasts like WorkLife with Adam Grant, The Happiness Lab, or Squiggly Careers, you’ll love Happier at Work®.

Join Aoife O’Brien for weekly insights on leadership, workplace culture, career clarity, imposter syndrome, and creating work that works for you.

Editing by Amanda Fitzgerald.

Website: https://happieratwork.ie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappierAtWorkHQ