Creating Psychological Safety: The Leadership Role That Can’t Be Delegated

Psychological safety, the shared belief amongst members of a team that it is safe to take interpersonal risks, is essential for a healthy, thriving, and inclusive culture, yet so many leaders think it is some sort of initiative to be managed by the HR department. The truth is that the only people who can create the conditions for psychological safety to be possible in any organisation are its leaders. Leaders must role model the kind of behaviours that engender trust and a feeling of safety, being comfortable with vulnerability in themselves and others, being honest, open, and transparent and inviting everyone to be the same, and setting clear standards and expectations for everyone, including themselves, to be held accountable to.

Psychological safety is not some abstract or esoteric concept, and it is not something that individuals can do on their own. It requires the collective confidence of the team that it is safe to take risks without fear of judgement, repercussions, or recrimination.

In a psychologically safe environment, people feel valued and respected for who they are, along with their skills, experience, and expertise, and not just their job title or status; they are able to raise concerns, share ideas, ask questions, participate in respectful debate, and not only make mistakes, but importantly learn from them. I’m afraid it’s not a one-and-done, but a continuous process of modelling, reinforcing, encouraging, and messaging.

It’s equally important for leaders to understand what psychological safety is not, as I’m afraid I’ve seen things done in the name of psychological safety that are, in fact, its opposite. The biggest misconception is the belief that it’s about being nice all the time, never disagreeing, and being in a perpetual state of ease and comfort, but what this actually describes is an environment of rigid perfectionism, where people are terrified to make mistakes. In a psychologically safe culture, there are no trade-offs between psychological safety and accountability, as the two must coexist together. Underperformance and unacceptable behaviours are not swept under the carpet but appropriately managed in an environment of dignity and respect. Many leaders also think it’s about having to act on every opinion, view, and piece of feedback. In fact, it simply means that all voices will be heard and, with the appropriate channels in place, it opens the door to all manner of creativity and innovation.

For leaders, psychological safety is, at its core, the innate ability to show up as the complex, imperfect, and constantly learning human being they are and to hold space for all the other wonderful human beings they employ. Honesty, authenticity, openness, and accountability are not just nice-to-haves, but essential for leading an organisation that collaborates, learns and grows together, is high-performing, extremely productive, and, ultimately, successful. Isn’t that what all leaders want?

This blog was written by Sandi Wassmer, Chief Executive Officer at Onvero, and posted on 24 April 2026.