The Safe Space Advantage: Why Psychological Safety Is Paramount at Work.
February 2026 | Episode 011
When was the last time you said something in a meeting that felt like a risk? Maybe you challenged an idea. Shared a mistake. Asked for help.
If you’ve ever hesitated, even for a split second, you’ve experienced how powerful psychological safety really is.
According to Google’s Project Aristotle, the single biggest predictor of team success isn’t talent, skill, or even workload. It’s psychological safety, the shared belief that you can speak up, take risks, and be real without fear of judgment or blame.
That’s connection in action. And it’s the heartbeat of every high-performing, innovative team.
What the Research Says
In McKinsey’s global study, 89% of employees said psychological safety is essential at work. But only 3 in 10 employees feel their opinions truly count.
That gap matters, deeply.
When people don’t feel safe to share ideas or concerns, innovation flatlines, mistakes go unspoken, and creativity disappears under fear.
But when people do feel safe, when curiosity replaces caution and learning replaces blame, performance, trust, and well-being all rise.
It’s Maslow for the modern workplace: before people can thrive, they need to feel safe.
What Psychological Safety Looks Like in Action
Much like empathy, psychological safety does not come down to everyone agreeing or being nice all the time. It’s about creating an environment where honesty and candor are encouraged.
It’s being able to say, “I made a mistake,” and knowing you won’t be punished for it. It’s a leader asking, “What am I missing?” and meaning it. It’s a team that debates ideas, not people.
Psychological safety is the soil where creativity, belonging, and innovation grow.
How Leaders Can Build It
1. Lead with curiosity, not certainty. Replace judgment with genuine questions: “Tell me more about that.” “What would it look like if we tried this?” Curiosity opens doors. Certainty closes them.
2. Model vulnerability. When leaders admit mistakes, ask for help, or share what they’re learning, they normalize imperfection, and give permission for others to do the same.
3. Normalize feedback, both ways. Invite upward feedback and respond with gratitude, not defensiveness. Try saying: “Thank you for telling me, that helps me lead better.”
4. Celebrate learning as much as outcomes. When we only reward success, we teach teams to play it safe. When we celebrate reflection, iteration, and effort, we fuel innovation.
Bite-Sized Wisdom for Big Impact from Our Coaches
Creating Safer Spaces to Lead and Learn
At McLaughlin Mentoring, we help leaders build the emotional intelligence skills that make psychological safety possible, awareness, empathy, and authentic communication.
Through our workshops and coaching, we create the kind of spaces where people can speak freely, listen deeply, and lead courageously.
We see first hand how the most effective teams aren’t the ones that agree on everything, but the ones that trust each other enough to disagree and grow together.
With optimism,
Jillian & Team
McLaughlin Mentoring Inc.