Building Trust with Empathy = Psychological Safety

Ever been in a conversation where you felt judged, dismissed, or anxious about sharing your thoughts? It’s a disheartening experience, and one that empathy works to prevent. By fostering psychological safety, a key component of empathetic environments, you can create spaces where people feel secure and empowered to speak openly.

Psychological safety is not a new concept. It’s been studied extensively by Harvard Professor Amy Edmondson. Her studies compare and contrast situations within organizations where psychological safety both thrived and fizzled. 

Amy Edmondsons’ book “Teaming” is a great read. Additionally, “Creativity, Inc.” is another great book that outlines how Pixar leveraged psychological safety to iterate on projects and develop great movies like “Up” and “Toy Story.”  

 These moments of safety pave the way for stronger collaboration, healthier relationships, and deeper trust.