When workplace challenges mount, some teams crumble while others rise. Studies show three small psychological safety actions can transform potential breakdown into breakthroughs.
When teams map individual strengths, they create environments where people feel respected.Have you ever worked in a team where you felt completely safe to speak your mind, take risks, and learn from mistakes? Or have you experienced the opposite – a place where staying silent felt like the only option? The difference between these environments isn't just about how they feel.
In our research, we've found that it profoundly impacts both mental health and performance at work. For the past two years, we've been studying how organizations approach workplace mental health, particularly as new psychosocial safety requirements have emerged. What we've discovered is that many workplaces are missing a crucial connection between their well-being initiatives and their risk prevention efforts. When we look at the most psychologically healthy workplaces, we've noticed they balance three interconnected elements that work together like a system:Inclusion safety happens when team members feel valued for their unique contributions. It goes beyond traditional diversity factors to focus on the strengths each person brings to the team. "Leaders are often unaware of the resources that already exist within their teams," explained a principal we worked with recently."When we mapped everyone's strengths, suddenly people felt seen for what they do best rather than just where they struggle." Studies suggest that when team members can name and appreciate each other's strengths, they create environments where people feel safe to be themselves. This type of safety becomes the foundation for everything else. To build inclusion safety, teams can take time at the start of projects to map their collective strengths. Simple questions like"What lights you up?" and"When do you feel the most engaged and energized at work?" help reveal the unique talents and abilities each person brings. Strengths assessment tools like thein our research."When we only focused on performance, people became risk-averse. But when we added learning goals, suddenly the team was more willing to try new approaches." Performance goals focus on specific outcomes , while learning goals emphasize growth and development (like improvingA healthcare organization we worked with implemented this approach by asking teams to identify not just what needed to be accomplished in each initiative but also what they hoped to learn through the process. During their regular check-ins, they reviewed progress on both performance and learning goals, celebrating growth alongside achievement. This simple practice helped shift their culture from one focused on avoiding mistakes to one that valued continuous improvement. Teaming safety emerges through specific behaviors that sustain collaborative work. Our studies have found that this form of safety develops through three interconnected practices:Asking for assistance is often the simple act standing between us and success. It elevates team performance while also building trust and connection. One executive we worked with made this explicit by starting team meetings with his own request for help, creating permission for others to do the same.High-performing teams share nearly six times more positive feedback than average teams. When leaders in a technology company irole modelled real-time feedback that focused on dialling strengths up or down to address challenges and meet their learning goals, they reported both greater psychological safety and faster problem resolution.Taking time to acknowledge contributions reinforces positive behaviors and fosters respect. A manufacturing team we studied implemented brief weekly"appreciation rounds" where team members acknowledged specific contributions they valued from colleagues clearly stating what they valued and why it mattered. Over time, this practice created a culture where people felt seen and respected for their work. "Even a single encounter with another person where you feel respected, valued, and appreciated can fortify you," a senior executive told us."These interactions act like interpersonal vitamins."is a workplace well-being teacher translating research from positive psychology and neuroscience into practical strategies for health, happiness, and business success.Being overly polite might seem kind, but it often leads to problems anyway, in relationships, with friends, and at work.Self Tests are all about you. Are you outgoing or introverted? Are you a narcissist? Does perfectionism hold you back? Find out the answers to these questions and more with Psychology Today.
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