Psychological Safety In Practice: Guidelines And Insights For Different Stakeholders In Higher Education

Interpersonal dynamics have a major influence on team processes and outcomes. Psychological safety, in particular, is one of the foundations of effective teamwork. While there has been a recognition of the importance of psychological safety in team settings, in particular in organizational and management literature, there has been an underrepresentation of studies addressing ways by which the concept can be operationalized. Recognizing the primacy of teamwork in higher education settings, this paper aims to raise awareness and provide guidelines for incorporating interventions centred around psychological safety. We first elaborate on the concept of psychological safety. We then distil and elaborate on three major components of psychological safety: mindful listening, asking questions, and providing and receiving feedback. Next, we review two sample interventions and provide guidelines for developing similar training and learning interventions.