The 4 Stages of Psychological Safety

1. Psychological Safety: The Foundation of High-Performing Teams

Psychological safety is a condition in which you feel (1) included, (2) safe to learn, (3) safe to contribute, and (4) safe to challenge the status quo—all without fear of being embarrassed, marginalized, or punished in some way.

Definition and importance. Psychological safety is the bedrock of high-performing teams and innovative organizations. It creates an environment where team members feel secure enough to take interpersonal risks, voice their opinions, and contribute ideas without fear of negative consequences. This concept goes beyond mere tolerance or politeness; it's about creating a culture of trust, respect, and openness.

Impact on performance. Research, including Google's Project Aristotle, has consistently shown that psychological safety is the single most important factor in explaining high team performance. When psychological safety is high:

• People take more ownership and release more discretionary effort
• There's higher-velocity learning and problem-solving
• Innovation and creativity flourish
• Employee engagement and retention improve

Absence of psychological safety. Without it, people tend to:

• Self-censor and redirect energy towards self-preservation
• Become less reflective and less able to self-diagnose or self-correct
• Disengage or leave the organization

2. The Four Stages of Psychological Safety: A Progressive Journey

The 4 stages of psychological safety

Progressive model. The four stages of psychological safety represent a natural progression based on human needs:

1. Inclusion Safety
2. Learner Safety
3. Contributor Safety
4. Challenger Safety

Respect and permission. Each stage involves increasing levels of respect and permission granted to individuals within a social unit. As teams progress through these stages, they unlock greater potential for collaboration, performance, and innovation.

Organizational impact. Understanding and implementing this model can help leaders:

• Create more inclusive and productive work environments
• Foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement
• Empower employees to contribute their best work
• Encourage innovation and challenge the status quo

3. Inclusion Safety: Embracing Human Worth and Belonging

Including another human being should be an act of prejudgment based on that person's worth, not an act of judgment based on that person's worthiness.

Fundamental acceptance. Inclusion safety is the first and most basic stage of psychological safety. It's about accepting individuals into a social unit based solely on their humanity, regardless of differences in background, beliefs, or demographics.

Impact on individuals. When inclusion safety is present:

• People feel accepted and valued for who they are
• The fear of social isolation is removed
• Individuals are more likely to engage and participate

Creating inclusion safety. Leaders and team members can foster inclusion safety by:

• Actively welcoming new members
• Showing genuine interest in others' perspectives
• Avoiding arbitrary distinctions or discrimination
• Practicing empathy and understanding

4. Learner Safety: Nurturing Growth Without Fear

The true definition of devastation is no one caring when you fail.

Safe learning environment. Learner safety allows individuals to engage in all aspects of the learning process – asking questions, giving and receiving feedback, experimenting, and making mistakes – without fear of repercussion or embarrassment.

Impact on growth. When learner safety is present:

• People are more willing to admit what they don't know
• Mistakes are seen as opportunities for learning, not failure
• Curiosity and exploration are encouraged

Fostering learner safety. To create an environment of learner safety:

• Encourage questions and curiosity
• Respond positively to mistakes and failures
• Provide constructive, non-judgmental feedback
• Model a growth mindset and continuous learning

5. Contributor Safety: Empowering Autonomous Performance

The exchange of guided autonomy for results is the basis of human performance.

Autonomy and accountability. Contributor safety is about granting individuals the autonomy to use their skills and talents to make meaningful contributions. It's an earned privilege based on demonstrated competence and reliability.

Impact on performance. When contributor safety is present:

• People feel empowered to take initiative
• There's a higher level of engagement and ownership
• Teams can leverage diverse skills and perspectives

Creating contributor safety. Leaders can foster contributor safety by:

• Delegating meaningful tasks and responsibilities
• Providing clear expectations and success criteria
• Offering support and resources without micromanaging
• Recognizing and appreciating individual contributions

6. Challenger Safety: Fostering Innovation Through Dissent

Assigning dissent to a project, priority, or initiative from the beginning removes the natural fear normally associated with challenging the status quo.

Encouraging constructive dissent. Challenger safety represents the highest level of psychological safety, where individuals feel secure enough to challenge the status quo, voice dissenting opinions, and propose innovative ideas without fear of reprisal.

Impact on innovation. When challenger safety is present:

• Creative thinking and problem-solving flourish
• The organization becomes more adaptable and resilient
• Groupthink and complacency are reduced

Cultivating challenger safety. To create an environment that welcomes challenges:

• Explicitly invite and reward constructive dissent
• Model openness to criticism and new ideas
• Implement processes for idea generation and evaluation
• Protect those who speak up, even when their ideas aren't adopted

7. Leadership's Role in Cultivating Psychological Safety

Organizations don't outperform their leaders, they reflect them.

Leader as culture curator. Leaders play a crucial role in establishing and maintaining psychological safety within their teams and organizations. Their behavior sets the tone and serves as a model for others to follow.

Key leadership behaviors. To foster psychological safety, leaders should:

• Demonstrate vulnerability and admit mistakes
• Actively seek out diverse perspectives
• Respond positively to questions, feedback, and challenges
• Hold people accountable without shame or blame
• Provide air cover for team members taking risks

Continuous effort. Creating psychological safety is not a one-time action but an ongoing process that requires consistent attention and reinforcement from leaders at all levels.

8. Avoiding Paternalism and Exploitation: The Dangers of Imbalance

The gutters of paternalism and exploitation flood the organization with fear.

Balancing respect and permission. Psychological safety requires both respect for individuals and permission to participate. An imbalance in either direction can lead to harmful outcomes:

• Paternalism: High respect, low permission

  • Breeds dependency and learned helplessness
  • Stifles initiative and innovation

• Exploitation: Low respect, high permission

  • Extracts value without regard for human worth
  • Leads to burnout, resentment, and high turnover

Recognizing and addressing imbalances. Leaders should:

• Regularly assess their own behavior and organizational culture
• Seek feedback from team members at all levels
• Address instances of paternalism or exploitation promptly
• Strive for a balance of empowerment and support

Creating sustainable cultures. By avoiding these extremes and fostering true psychological safety, organizations can create environments where people thrive, innovation flourishes, and sustainable high performance becomes possible.

Last updated: April 22, 2025