We Need to Talk About What Gets Left Unsaid

Can you remember a time at work when you really, really wanted to say something, but you kept it to yourself? Maybe you had a different perspective, or you needed clarification, or you spotted a potential issue. Maybe you were concerned you might have made a mistake and wanted to ask for support. 

If this sounds familiar, what influenced your decision to stay silent? Were you expecting a negative response – an instant rejection of your idea, or a smirk or an eyeroll at your question? Maybe you knew that raising a concern would result in “shooting the messenger” or that admitting a mistake would mean being shamed or criticised? 

The dynamics at play in these moments are what make up psychological safety – or the lack thereof! 

What is “psychological safety”? 

First explored in a workplace context by Amy C. Edmonson, Harvard Business School professor and author of The Fearless Organization, the term was brought into the spotlight by Google’s Project Aristotle, which concluded that “psychological safety, more than anything else, was critical to making a team work”. 

According to Edmonson, psychological safety is “felt permission for candor”. The Fearless Organization Scan defines it this way: “In psychologically safe environments, people speak up, ask for help, share ideas, admit mistakes, and challenge assumptions – without fear of embarrassment or punishment.” Organisational psychologist Natasha Tamiru describes the other side in an article for Think With Google: “People who don’t feel psychologically safe worry that taking risks will mean they’re seen as ignorant, incompetent, negative, or disruptive.”  

 What happens when things are left unsaid? 

In this blog, my colleague Elisa explores the psychology behind why people don’t speak up at work. In that moment you remembered earlier, it’s likely you chose not to speak because you (either consciously or subconsciously) weighed the options and decided that the immediate risks outweighed the potential long-term benefits. An understandable and deeply human impulse! 

How many times a day are we and our colleagues making that calculation? And what opportunities and insights are we missing out on as a result? What problems are we failing to prevent or correct? In other words, what are the risks of an organisational culture that is psychologically unsafe? 

We generate fewer ideas.

Team members may be more prone to “playing it safe” in brainstorm sessions, sharing only approved, tried-and-tested solutions or not offering any at all. Creativity requires the ability to share half-formed thoughts, ask questions, and explore options even if there’s a good chance they might fail. A culture with low psychological safety impedes growth by not making space for novel, innovative, “high risk/ high reward” ideas. 

We fail to manage risks.

An ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure. Leaders who say, “don’t bring problems, bring solutions,” or who react poorly when a team member raises a concern are failing to promote psychological safety. As a result, they may find themselves blissfully unaware of potential risks and facing much bigger issues down the line – after all, a problem you can’t see is one you can’t solve! 

We miss hearing alternative perspectives.

In a psychologically unsafe environment, leaders should expect to hear from only the most confident, high-ranking, or established voices. Failing to empower everyone to share their perspectives, even when (especially when!) they differ from the majority, means we lose the benefits of diversity of thought and may risk falling into groupthink.  

We lose the chance to learn from mistakes. 

A hallmark of low psychological safety is reticence to admit mistakes – leading to poor accountability, blame, and messy “cover-ups”. Though it seems contradictory, a culture where mistakes and failures are destigmatised, openly discussed, or even embraced and applauded actually increases accountability. With no incentive to hide or shift blame, teams can work together to find solutions in the present, as well as to grow and learn for the future. 

We create barriers to seeking help.

In cultures where it’s not permitted to show vulnerability or ask for support, challenges can stay hidden and worsen over time, negatively impacting wellbeing, engagement, and performance. If it‘s unsafe to raise concerns informally, conflicts or issues may go unaddressed, escalating into formal complaints, grievances, or legal action. When every team member feels able to seek help when they need it, the benefits extend beyond them to their colleagues, managers, clients or customers, and the entire organisation. 

Did any of these points resonate with you? If they did, you are definitely not alone! 

We know that psychological safety is the foundation for healthy cultures and high-performing teams. But understanding the benefits is only the first step. How can we move beyond theory and make psychological safety part of the everyday reality in our workplace? 

Look out for part two of this article, where we explore how drama-based learning and our Steps to Change model can “hold a mirror up” to an organisation’s culture, prompting deep reflection and facilitating open conversations which lead to real, lasting change.