Research: What Leaders Do to Create Psychological Safety

It’s the belief that you can speak up, ask questions, admit mistakes, and share ideas without fear of negative consequences. And in today’s workplace, where we need more collaboration, innovation, and adaptability than ever before, psychological safety isn’t a “nice extra.” It’s essential.

The old-school command-and-control style of leadership—where authority ruled, information flowed one way, and mistakes were quietly hidden—might have worked in predictable, slow-moving environments. But in our fast-changing, interconnected world, it actively holds teams back. When people stay silent out of fear, organizations miss early warning signs, lose out on frontline wisdom, and struggle to keep pace with change.

The Leadership Challenge

Here’s the hard part: creating psychological safety often requires leaders to unlearn habits that once made them successful. For many, it means shifting from having all the answers to inviting the hard questions. From projecting certainty to admitting when the path isn’t clear. From keeping control to opening the floor.

And that’s not always comfortable—especially for leaders who thrived in environments where vulnerability was seen as weakness. Understanding the concept is one thing. Knowing how to live it out in the daily push and pull of deadlines, decisions, and disagreements? That’s the real challenge.

The Research on Leaders and Psychological Safety

To get clear on what actually makes a difference, we looked at Zenger Folkman data from more than 18,000 employees. We asked each person to rate the degree to which “everyone in the organization is treated with dignity and respect,” and we matched those responses with ratings of their immediate manager’s effectiveness on 60 leadership behaviors.

The patterns were unmistakable. We identified eight specific behaviors that most strongly correlated with employees feeling respected. Leaders who scored above average in these behaviors saw a dramatic shift:

• Intention to quit dropped from 37% to just 20%.
• The percentage of employees willing to give extra effort nearly doubled—from 23% to 47%.

It’s proof that even small, consistent changes in behavior can have a big impact on how safe people feel to speak up and contribute.

The 8 Leadership Behaviors That Build Psychological Safety

1. Build an Inclusive Climate Make sure every voice at the table counts. Inclusion isn’t just about diversity—it’s about making sure different perspectives are valued and heard. A mix of backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints isn’t a problem to manage; it’s a strength to celebrate.
2. Be Open to Diverse Perspectives Don’t just tolerate different opinions—actively seek them out. One executive I know tells their team, “We can’t promise everyone will get their way, but everyone will have their say.” They reinforce it by inviting dissenting voices to speak first.
3. Build Trust Trust speeds everything up. When people trust their leader, they take more initiative, step into challenges, and give more of themselves. Trust grows through consistent actions, keeping your word, and recognizing the talents of your people.
4. Resolve Conflict Few people enjoy conflict, but leaving it unresolved drains morale and drives good people away. The best leaders step in to address disagreements quickly and constructively—even if they’re not directly involved.
5. Balance Tasks with People’s Needs Goals matter, but so do people. When deadlines consistently outweigh well-being, team members start to feel disposable. The best leaders know when to push for results and when to pause for people.
6. Stay Connected Knowing your team isn’t just about project updates—it’s about knowing who they are, what they care about, and what’s going on in their lives. That connection builds loyalty and safety in ways that formal meetings never can.
7. Be a Role Model Leaders set the tone. If you expect your team to follow certain rules or values, you should be the first to live them out. Nothing erodes credibility faster than “rules for them but not for me.”
8. Demonstrate Adaptability Change is constant—pandemics, technology shifts, market upheavals. Leaders who adapt quickly and model flexibility help their teams do the same without losing momentum or morale.

You Don’t Have to Be Perfect

Eight behaviors might sound like a lot, but here’s the encouraging truth: you don’t have to master all of them to see results. Our research found that leaders performing at or above the 75th percentile in just three of these areas saw psychological safety at the 53rd percentile. Hitting the 90th percentile in three behaviors pushed safety to the 62nd percentile.

Small, focused improvements really do add up. Pick a few behaviors that feel most natural to you and start there.

Psychological Safety: The Heart of the Matter

Psychological safety isn’t just about creating a “nice” place to work—it directly impacts whether people stay, give their best effort, and help your organization succeed. And while you can’t change everything overnight, you can start showing up differently in the moments that matter.

Respond with openness instead of defensiveness. Invite voices that haven’t been heard. Show you’re willing to learn, adapt, and grow alongside your team.

Because at the end of the day, psychological safety is about more than policies or processes—it’s about how you, as a leader, make people feel. And when people feel respected, trusted, and safe, they don’t just work harder. They work better, together.

-Joe Folkman, President of Zenger Folkman