When "Psychological Safety" Gets Misunderstood

I recently met with a prospective client who proudly shared that they have an in-house therapist to help promote psychological safety at work.

That definitely caught my attention — as I've only known one other mid-sized company to do this (other than me with my clients). But as we kept talking, I realized the phrase “psychological safety” was being used as a catch-all for keeping everyone emotionally comfortable — sometimes to the point of avoiding hard conversations entirely.

This isn’t unique to that organization.

It’s becoming a widespread workplace misunderstanding.

Now, let’s be clear:

Psychological safety doesn’t mean everyone always agrees.

It doesn’t mean no one ever feels uncomfortable.

It surely doesn’t mean shielding people from feedback or expecting leaders to be therapists.

And it definitely doesn’t mean every request gets a “yes.”

Real psychological safety means people can:

✅ Speak up with questions, ideas, and concerns

✅ Acknowledge mistakes without fear of humiliation

✅ Receive feedback and stay engaged

✅ Stay in the room — even when the conversation is hard

It’s not the absence of challenge — it’s the ability to navigate challenge with trust.

This is especially important in organizations that are trying to develop critical thinkers, emotionally intelligent professionals, and resilient teams. If we equate “safe” with “easy,” we risk losing the developmental edge that helps people grow.

I love that more organizations are investing in emotional well-being.

But let’s make sure we’re building resilience, not fragility.

Let’s make space for both support and stretch.

That’s where the real safety — and growth — lives.

💬 How do you define psychological safety in your organization?

Do you think it’s being misunderstood in today’s workplace?