Building Resilient Teams with Psychological Safety
At Interstates, we’ve been talking about psychological safety for nearly a decade. It’s encouraging to see more industry leaders and professional organizations make it part of their culture conversations. Psychological safety is a term every leader needs to know, and strive for, every day. Also—and this is surprising considering the trajectory we are on—there is no AI tool that can help you create psychological safety… yet. So, you’ll have to rely on your own leadership skills for now. That said, feel free to use your favorite AI tool to find application tips and techniques.
For those unfamiliar, psychological safety is the belief that people can share ideas, concerns, or mistakes without fear of punishment or humiliation1. At Interstates, we sum it up as: Saying what needs to be said—when it needs to be said—without fear of punishment. We believe psychological safety isn't just about comfort—it's about building resilient teams. When people know they’re safe to speak up and learn from mistakes, they become more adaptable, collaborative, and ready to face whatever comes their way.
That’s why it is vital to continue teaching our leaders to create psychological safety every day. Here are three practical ways to do it:
Practical Tip 1: Respond Calmly to Bad News or Criticism
If someone reports unsafe conditions or admits a mistake, your reaction matters. Responding with anger or frustration shuts down future reporting. Instead, acknowledge the issue, thank the person, and address accountability later—calmly and constructively. Open communication enables teams to tackle obstacles collaboratively and recover from adversity more efficiently.
Fun fact: Highly psychologically safe teams report more mistakes than low psychologically safe teams, not because they make more mistakes, but because they feel safe enough to report them, which allows them to learn and improve².
Practical Tip 2: Model the Behavior You Want to See
When you make a mistake or know how you could have improved a previously completed task, share with the team. Team members who see psychological safety modeled by others are more willing to adapt to change, try new approaches, and learn from setbacks. This also helps to build trust and support among teams—acknowledging we are not all perfect and can learn from our mistakes creates a strong sense of belonging and shared purpose.
Practical Tip 3: Recognize Those Who Speak Up
Ask for concerns regularly, especially from quieter voices. In meetings, you can try: “What’s one thing that’s not going well this week that we can improve as a team?” Thank people for their input—even when it’s hard to hear—and act on it. Consistent follow‐through builds trust and reinforces that speaking up matters and makes a difference.
Why It Matters
Knowing you are valued and listened to—even when things go wrong—gives individuals the confidence to confront difficulties head-on. A reduced fear of failure enables people to step outside of their comfort zones and tackle tough problems creatively.
Make psychological safety a core part of your culture and leadership strategy. When your people trust that they can speak up, they’ll take greater initiative and recover more quickly from setbacks not only for themselves but also your projects, your business, and your clients.