In 2012 Google initiated Project Aristotle to find out how to build the perfect team. After crunching a ton of data, which Google has a lot of, a pattern began to emerge on what makes up an great team.
It turns out it had little to do with whether or not people were friends outside of work, possessed a diversity of skill sets, or whether or not they conducted regular team-building activities. Rather, the most important thing came down to something called Psychological Safety.
Psychological Safety is a shared belief that the team is safe for interpersonal risk taking. It's an environment where people know they can freely speak up without being judged, and trust they will be valued and listened to. It's all about how people treat each other and two qualities stood out among the research. In great teams:
1. Everyone contributes an equal amount.
For example, in a meeting there is no single dominant person. Everyone has an opportunity to be heard and contribute.
2. People are in tune with how others might be feeling and make adjustments accordingly.
In other words, people are socially sensitive and can sense if someone is upset or not through their facial expressions or tone of voice.
At the heart of all of this is something I have been saying to leaders for years which is "care about your people and make sure they respect each other."
But it seems the biggest factor in all of this is whether or not you, the leader, are modeling the principles that create Psychological Safety in your team.
So here's a few quick ideas you can use this week at your next meeting.
1. Make sure everyone contributes.
Some Google team leaders would secretly place a check mark in their notes by each person's name whenever they spoke up during a meeting. They tried to get the number of checkpoints to be close to even by the end.
2. Crack down on interrupting.
It's a sign of disrespect. If I interrupt you it basically communicates that what I have to say is more important that what you are saying right now, that my words are better than yours. Resist the urge to cut someone off and call it out in others.
3. Use reflective listening.
When a team member speaks to you in a meeting, repeat what you hear them saying. This signals respect, and that you value them enough to listen to them.
4. Don't kill the baby.
New ideas are like babies, as one executive group I worked with described them. They are weak and vulnerable when first born, so lets not kill them by shooting them down right away. Give new ideas a chance even if they're not the best ideas, which in turn will reinforce that your team is a safe place to be creative.
While team dynamics are multidimensional, these few behaviors will go a long way in creating an atmosphere of Psychological Safety.
