Psychological Safety: The Antidote to Bullying

Definition of Psychological Safety in the Workplace

Beyond risk prevention, the goal should be to build Psychological Safety.

This concept defines an environment where team members feel safe to take interpersonal risks: asking "dumb" questions, admitting mistakes, proposing disruptive ideas or pointing out problems without fear of being embarrassed, rejected or punished.

In an environment with high psychological safety, bullying cannot thrive because transparency is total.

Bullying needs darkness and fear to survive; psychological safety sheds light on interactions and empowers the collective voice.

The Link between Fear and Innovation

There is an inverse correlation between fear and cognitive ability.

When an employee works under the constant threat of destructive criticism or ridicule (elements of bullying), his or her brain activates primitive defense mechanisms (fight or flight), blocking the areas responsible for creative thinking and complex problem solving.

Companies that tolerate "tyrant geniuses" under the guise of technical excellence are actually limiting their own innovation potential.

A violence-free environment is not only a moral imperative, but a smart business strategy to maximize the intellectual output of human capital.

Radical Trust Building

To move from a toxic environment to a safe one, a deliberate trust-building effort is required. This involves normalizing vulnerability.

When a leader admits "I was wrong about this decision" in front of his or her team, it disarms the infallible power dynamic that often underpins abuse.

Encouraging healthy debates where ideas are attacked, not people, is key.

The organization should reward collaboration and mutual support with the same emphasis that it rewards individual achievement, thus dismantling th