The number one driver of team performance...proven by Google
- Clare Kenny
- 16 minutes ago
- 3 min read
In today’s world of work, it’s no surprise that so many people are operating in survival mode.
There’s so much uncertainty, constant change, restructuring, redundancies, cost of living pressures.
And when people are in survival mode, they can’t perform at their best. As a leader, you can’t control what’s happening in the wider world, but you can build trust and create an environment that helps people feel safe enough to do their best work - even when things are tough.
That’s where psychological safety at work comes in.
What psychological safety really means
I’ve been revisiting some of Amy Edmondson’s work recently (she’s the woman who first coined the term psychological safety). I love the story of how she discovered it pretty much by accident.
Amy set out to study whether cohesive, high-trust teams made fewer mistakes. What she found was actually the opposite. The most connected, trusting teams were reporting more mistakes.
At first, she thought her research had gone wrong. But what she realised was that those teams weren’t actually making more mistakes, they were simply more open about them. They felt psychologically safe enough to say, “I messed up” or “I think this isn’t working,” and that meant they caught problems sooner and learned faster.
That’s the real power of psychological safety. When people can speak up without fear, you create a culture of learning, innovation, and ultimately, stronger performance.
The link between psychological safety and team performance
Google’s landmark research on high-performing teams found that psychological safety was the number one driver of team performance. Not just wellbeing, engagement, retention but direct performance.
It makes sense. When people feel trusted and safe to share their ideas, voice concerns, and admit mistakes, they’re far more likely to contribute creatively and take ownership of outcomes.
In other words, building psychological safety isn’t a ‘nice to have’. It’s one of the most powerful leadership tools you can develop to improve performance and trust across your organisation.
Creating psychological safety in practice
So, what does psychological safety actually look like in day to day leadership?
It’s creating space for dissent. Asking simple but powerful questions like...
“What’s everyone’s gut saying about this?”
“Is there something we’ve missed?”
“If you had to criticise this idea, what would you say?”
These questions make it normal for people to share honest feedback or challenge ideas, without being labelled as difficult or negative. It builds trust and makes psychological safety part of how your team works, not an afterthought.
Because how many times have you been in a meeting where something didn’t go to plan, and afterwards someone says, “I had a feeling this wouldn’t work”?
Creating those moments for open reflection helps you spot issues earlier, make better decisions, and genuinely use all the diverse perspectives in your team.
The role of leaders in building trust
Psychological safety doesn’t mean every decision needs to be made by committee. It means creating the right balance - where people know they can contribute honestly, and where leaders listen and respond with care rather than defensiveness.
It’s also about modelling vulnerability yourself. When you make a mistake, say so. Share what you learned, what you’d do differently next time, and show yourself some compassion. That kind of honesty helps others see that mistakes aren’t failures — they’re part of growth.
Because if everyone leaves the meeting thinking the highest paid person’s opinion is the only one that matters, what’s the point of having a team?
Why psychological safety matters now more than ever
In uncertain times, performance doesn’t come from pressure - it comes from trust.
When leaders create a psychologically safe workplace, they unlock creativity, collaboration, and resilience. They help people feel part of something, even when things are changing fast.
And that’s what turns a good team into a high-performing one.
------------
About Clare Kenny & the Speakers Collective
Clare has delivered hundreds of thought-provoking keynotes, workshops, and masterclasses across diverse industries, captivating audiences with her engaging style and actionable insights.
If you are interested in Clare Kenny speaking at an event or hearing more about her work please contact info@speakerscollective.org.
Speakers Collective is a Social Enterprise. We work together with a shared commitment to challenge stigma, facilitate important conversations and promote learning on a variety of social issues.
Please do contact us via info@speakerscollective.org or via our contact form here.
