Module 2/4 28 min
Building psychological safety in your team
Step 1 / 3·The three leader behaviours
0/3 steps done
Learning objectives — after this module you will:
- Apply the three leader behaviours that build safety
- React correctly when receiving bad news or an error report
- Recognise and avoid the behaviours that destroy safety
Learn ~9 min
The three leader behaviours
Know specifically what to do.
Psychological safety doesn't come from announcing 'feel free to speak up here'. It comes from the repeated BEHAVIOUR of whoever holds power in the team — especially how they react when someone actually says something difficult.
The three behaviours in practice
| Behaviour | How | What it sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| Frame the work | Say clearly this is complex, there are unknowns, so speaking up matters | 'We haven't done this before, so there will be things we haven't foreseen — I really need you to flag anything that looks off.' |
| Model humility | Acknowledge your own limits and mistakes first | 'I don't know this part — who knows it better?' / 'My call last week was wrong.' |
| Invite actively | Ask specific questions rather than 'any thoughts?' | 'Lan, you run this step — what in the plan will get stuck?' |
Why 'any thoughts?' doesn't work
A broad open question at the end of a meeting almost always meets silence — because answering means taking the risk of being the first to speak. Ask SPECIFICALLY and to a person: 'Nam, with your factory experience, what in this plan won't work?'.
Key takeaway: Three behaviours: frame the work as complex, model humility, and invite with specific questions.