On teams lacking psychological safety, we feel at risk of being blamed or shamed for our mistakes and sense that it is risky to disagree or admit failures. Of course, this implicit feeling of being under threat leads us to shift into protection and revert to reactive behaviors. In a psychologically safe environment, however, we know that our identities and relationships are safe and secure if we make a mistake and open up about it. This feeling of safety allows us to shift into learning both individually and as a whole, even when under stress and pressure.
