What People Get Wrong About Psychological Safety
Six misconceptions that have led organizations astray. by Amy C. Edmondson and Michaela J. Kerrissey

Petra Erickson
Summary.
Psychological safety, which means having an environment where people feel safe to speak up, was once an obscure term in psychology and management research. Today the concept is downright popular. Countless managers, consultants, and training companies have worked hard to create psychologically safe workplaces, and thousands of articles have been devoted to the topic.
Read more on Leadership or related topics Leadership and managing people, Organizational culture, Collaboration and teams, Managing employees, Psychology and Interpersonal communication
A version of this article appeared in the May–June 2025 issue of Harvard Business Review.
Read more on Leadership or related topics Leadership and managing people, Organizational culture, Collaboration and teams, Managing employees, Psychology and Interpersonal communication