A shared belief that one can express thoughts, feelings, questions, and concerns without fear of negative consequences to self-image, status, or career. It creates an environment where people feel secure enough to be vulnerable and take interpersonal risks.
The term was popularized by Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson in the 1990s, though the concept builds on earlier work about trust and group dynamics. It combines 'psychological' (relating to the mind and emotions) with 'safety' (freedom from harm or danger).
Psychological safety is like emotional oxygen - when it's present, people barely notice it, but when it's absent, everything becomes about survival rather than growth. Teams and families with high psychological safety can navigate conflicts and mistakes as learning opportunities, while those without it become breeding grounds for anxiety and defensiveness.
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