Cultivating a Culture of Trust: The Key to Unlocking Team Potential, by Jonathan H. Westover PhD

Abstract: This article examines the research behind psychological safety and provides practical recommendations for how leaders can cultivate it within their teams. Psychological safety refers to shared beliefs among team members that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking and idea sharing. Studies show that psychological safety positively impacts team innovation, collaboration, learning, and performance. However, few organizations consistently foster it. The article discusses the origin and key findings of psychological safety research, including Edmondson's early work and follow-up studies showing its relationship to various organizational outcomes. It then offers advice for leaders, such as modeling vulnerability, focusing on growth over blame, promoting inclusive decision-making, providing constructive feedback, and celebrating learning from failures. Industry examples from Netflix, Google, and Southwest Airlines illustrate how applying these practices helps maintain psychological safety. The article argues that proactive leadership is needed to establish psychological safety as a sustainable norm that allows teams to thrive and reach their highest potential.