It started with a surprise. As a young researcher, Harvard's Amy Edmondson found that the best hospital teams reported more mistakes. The reason: people there felt safe enough to talk about them. That discovery grew into two decades of research on what she calls psychological safety.
In this book she brings the work together, from hospitals and factories to airline cockpits. One idea we find especially helpful: psychological safety and high standards belong together. Teams do their best work when people can speak openly and are also expected to deliver.
Talent Takeaway
It reminds us how much a leader's first reaction shapes what people dare to say next time. A simple habit in the spirit of Edmondson's work: when someone raises a concern or admits a mistake, start with "Thank you for telling me." Then ask, "What do you think we should do?"
Our Take
The book to read on psychological safety, by the researcher who shaped the idea. Clear, practical and full of stories from real teams.
Edmondson, A. C. (2019). The fearless organization: Creating psychological safety in the workplace for learning, innovation, and growth. Wiley. Find it