The link between high performance & psychological safety

High performing teams are absolutely vital to the successful operation of scaling businesses

With the fast-paced and often intense environment that rapid growth can bring, effective teams must not only be prepared to work to tight deadlines and changing blueprints, but be open to collaboration and actively receptive to the ideas of their colleagues.

To efficiently manage the scaling process, teams must draw ideas from diverse sources. Different perspectives allow for the most adaptive solutions to managing growth. But, to position a workforce to properly operate in this way, teams must understand the concept of psychological safety. This refers to a person’s belief that they are able to share their unfiltered ideas and beliefs without the risk of negative consequences. For a person to truly access their full potential, they must feel comfortable enough within their team to speak without the need for self-editing.

Psychological Safety and it’s place in the recruitment process

The concept of psychological safety is integral to the formation of high performing teams. It should be considered during recruitment, as often the key functions of these groups rely on how the individuals within a team interact and communicate—regardless of their position within the company. This concept can be observed in a couple of ways, most notably through equality in conversation and through ostentatious listening.

When teams practise equality in conversation, they allow each member to speak and contribute equally, taking the time to ensure that every voice is heard. This promotes a sense of comradery and community, helping to ensure that each individual feels their ideas will be  respected. By creating this supportive work environment, team members are more likely to engage in a meaningful way and access the more complex ideas or opinions that they might otherwise have been fearful to communicate.

To further support this sense of equality, high performing teams will engage in ostentatious listening. Individuals devote their full attention to all ideas without interjecting or allowing themselves to become distracted by phones, laptops—or anything other than their colleague sharing their thoughts. Not only does this promote the psychological safety of those within the team, but it opens up the possibility for the reframing of failure and building trust within the group. By assuring all team members that there’s no shame in sharing less successful ideas, teams are able to take greater risks when problem-solving.

It can take some time to implement these processes. Our brains are designed to save face in social environments and our defensive traits are often subconscious. But taking the time to commit to building trust and promoting psychological safety within teams can have far-reaching and impactful results across all aspects of scaling businesses. Not only does it help to create high performing teams, but by facilitating a positive environment built upon equality and respect, the culture of the workplace will be positively affected, promoting engagement and productivity across all aspects of the business.

Feather Grey Consulting have years of experience in building high performing teams, especially within scaling businesses during periods of tech growth. Please contact us here to discuss how we can help.