This morning, I was prepping for an onboarding call with a new client and made note of the most important things I wanted him to know:
Our conversations are completely confidential.
His manager's investment in coaching is just that...an investment in a high-performer's future success rather not a remediation tool.
Interestingly (at least to me), these points are both about psychological safety.
As leaders and peers, we must create psychologically safe environments, and that safety looks different at work than it does in other relationships in our lives. For example, consistently correcting your spouse may lead to friction and defensiveness. However, correcting an ambitious employee who is eyeing a promotion can create motivation and trust when done clearly and in service of their growth. That context is important.
Across the board, the people we work with need to believe that our intention matches our behavior in order for interactions to be truly productive. I'm a firm believer that if you don't create a narrative for a situation, the other person will do it for you, and their version is rarely generous.
You have to set the tone, be it a relationship, project, or other interaction. What is the intended dynamic and for what purpose?
Here's an example...If you're dropping in to observe a meeting you don’t usually attend, why are you doing so? Without that context, the leader running that meeting may assume you're evaluating them, whereas you may simply wish to get facetime with the group and show your support. That disconnect siphons valuable energy that could be spent on execution instead of interpretation.
Whenever possible, connect your intention to a shared goal, something that benefits all parties.
Communicating intention is the starting point, but it isn't enough to create safety and buy-in. You need to follow through without ulterior motives.
If you say your goal is stronger team collaboration, your feedback should reflect that, and so should your actions.
People don’t believe what you say. They believe what you repeatedly do.
That means:
Patrick Lencioni’s Five Dysfunctions framework begins with trust for a reason. Without it, teams default to politics and self-protection. You cannot debate openly, commit fully, or hold one another accountable if people question motive.
Psychological safety is clarity of intention, consistently demonstrated, and it belongs in every organization.
So consider:
Psychological safety is built in the daily alignment between intention, communication, and action. Watch what happens when you lead through that lens. Trust builds, energy shifts, and results compound.