Tom Geraghty: What is psychological safety?

Summary

This article from Tom Geraghty, co-founder of Psych Safety, discusses what psychological safety looks like in practice, the signs of its absence and, just as importantly, what it is not. It looks at why it isn't the same for everyone, and how structural inequalities make the gradient steeper for some people than for others.

Finally, the page takes a critical look at Clark's Four Stages, draws on Westrum's cultural typology, and shows how psychological safety narrows the gap between work as imagined and work as done. It closes with some tips on measurement, and our own research.