Psychological safety gauge
Measure psychological safety
Psychological safety is a shared belief that team members feel safe to take interpersonal risks, ask questions, and admit mistakes. It’s a crucial ingredient for high-performing teams, as it allows people to share their ideas and learn from each other without fear of judgment or punishment.
One common way to measure psychological safety is through surveys. These surveys can ask questions about how comfortable team members feel sharing their ideas, admitting mistakes, and asking for help. They can also ask questions about how supportive team members feel their leaders are, and how well they feel listened to and valued.
Another way to measure psychological safety is through observation. By observing team members in meetings and other interactions, you can get a sense of how comfortable they feel taking risks, speaking up, and sharing their ideas. For example, you can look for things like:
- Do team members feel comfortable asking questions, even if they diverge from the group’s ideas?
- Are team members willing to admit mistakes and learn from them?
- Do team members feel comfortable sharing new ideas, even if they differ from the status quo?
- Do team members feel supported by their leaders and colleagues?
Do you believe that your team has high psychological safety?
It’s important to note that psychological safety is a complex concept, and there is no single perfect way to measure it.
But by using a combination of surveys and observation, you can gain a good understanding of how psychologically safe your team is.
Here are some tips for measuring psychological safety:
- Use anonymous surveys to encourage honest feedback.
- Ask specific questions about how team members feel about taking interpersonal risks, asking questions, and admitting mistakes.
- Observe team members in meetings and other interactions to get a sense of how comfortable they feel speaking up and sharing their ideas.
Look for both quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data can give you a general sense of how the team is performing, while qualitative data can provide more in-depth insights into the specific areas where the team needs improvement.
Measure or evaluate psychological safety regularly to track progress over time.
By measuring psychological safety, you can identify areas where your team needs improvement and make changes to create a more supportive and inclusive environment.
