The New Currency of Leadership: Building Psychological Safety
How Safety Unlocks Creativity, Trust, and Resilience in Teams
When you hear the term psychological safety, what comes immediately to your mind, body, or heart? And when you think about currency, what’s the first image you see?
For many, currency represents something of value that fuels growth and exchange. In the workplace, psychological safety is exactly that; it’s the currency that fuels trust, creativity, and resilience. Without it, innovation stalls, and relationships suffer.
This isn’t just theory, it’s something I’ve lived. I’ve experienced both sides of this coin. I’ve been the recipient of psychological trauma and, painfully, I’ve also been the cause of it. Admitting that truth was one of the hardest moments of my personal and leadership journey. While I never intended to harm anyone, intent doesn’t erase impact. What matters most is whether we’re willing to take responsibility, acknowledge the harm, and change our behavior moving forward.
That willingness to own mistakes and commit to growth isn’t weakness. It’s one of the most compassionate and courageous acts of leadership. It models to others that we are all human. We make human mistakes. And we can change. When leaders show this kind of vulnerability, they send a powerful message: This is a safe space to be real, to learn, and to grow together.
Of course, it’s not easy. Facing mistakes can stir fear, nervousness, and even physical pain. That’s why emotional intelligence and empathy are essential. The more you understand your own experiences and the feelings they spark, the easier it becomes to understand others and respond with compassion.
Why does this matter? Simply: it builds connection.
Here’s a common concern I hear from leaders:
“I don’t know how to identify what I’m feeling in the middle of conflict. I just react. It feels like there is no warning. And it scares me to go back later and admit I made a mistake. What do I do?”
💜 My answer :
This is a journey but I’d like to offer you a “simplified” five step process to help you before things escalate:
PAUSE – Prevent Activating Unnecessary Struggles & Escalations (yes, I created this so please share but give me attribution).
GET HONEST – I would first invite you to explore if there truly was no warning. Our bodies are amazing and generally, there is something stirring inside you that you have chosen to ignore. Take notice. Are you needing to be right? Feeling unseen?
BREATHE – Try a 16-second breath: inhale through your nose for 4, hold it for 4, exhale through your mouth for 4, hold it for 4. If something is still stirring, repeat as needed.
FUTURE-SELF CONVERSATION – Ask: If I say or do this, will I later need to apologize? If yes, pause again and go back through the steps above.
GET SUPPORT - Build your emotional intelligence with me 1:1 or with your team.
Once you begin practicing these, you’ll be ready for deeper leadership work to create team-wide safety:
Model openness: Share a time you got it wrong and what you learned.
Invite voices in: Ask for input from those who don’t usually speak, and really listen.
Respond with curiosity, not criticism: Replace “That won’t work” with “Help me understand how this could work.”
🤔 Reflection Questions
When was the last time I admitted a mistake to myself? In front of my team?
How do I respond, verbally and nonverbally, when I hear an idea I don’t like?
What’s one step I could take this week to show my team it’s safe to be honest with me?
🎶 A Final Note (for now)
If safety is the new currency of leadership, then empathy is the bank it flows through. Leaders who embrace vulnerability and compassion create workplaces where innovation thrives and people feel they truly belong. And that’s when you all start to feel the joy!
If your organization is ready to build psychological safety and unlock lasting success, let’s talk. I design leadership trainings and workshops that create environments where trust and innovation thrive and your workplace reputation becomes Team Awesome! BUT before that, ask yourself, “Am I doing the work I need to do, starting with me?”
🌶️ Here is your Call to Action: Take care of YOU!
Being who YOU are is an ASSET. Cultivate YOUR Success through Joy and Rest. Learn to thrive being your AUTHENTIC SELF. Stop forcing yourself into someone else’s box and instead redefine success on your terms, with joy and rest at the center. Learn more and apply to join the Joy Group Coaching Cohort TODAY! Starting October 27th.
With Empathy and Joy,
Misha Safran, MA, PCC
Land Acknowledgement: Born on the land of the Anacostans, Piscataway, and Pamunkey peoples. Currently living on Karkin Ohlone land.
All are valued in my practice: BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, humans of all backgrounds and ages. I hope to support a safer and braver space for all professionals to do peopling better.
