Workshop overview

Topic: Building psychological safety in teams

Audience: Mid-level team leads, mixed industries

Duration: 90 minutes | Class size: 20 participants | Format: In-person | Assessment: Group output + individual commitment

Outcome: Participants will identify at least two specific behaviours that undermine psychological safety in their team and commit to one concrete change they will make within the next week.

Structure approach: Three input-activity-reflection cycles, each tighter than the last. Activities require every participant to produce something – no bystander roles.

Detailed flow

0:00 – 0:10 | Open and frame

Facilitator opens with a single question displayed on screen: “Think of a time you didn’t speak up at work – what stopped you?” Participants write silently for 90 seconds, then one word is shared aloud around the room. No discussion yet. Facilitator names the pattern and introduces the session outcome.

0:10 – 0:20 | Input 1 – what psychological safety is and isn’t

10-minute focused input. Two common misconceptions addressed directly: it is not about being nice, and it is not about avoiding conflict. One research finding cited. Visual: a 2×2 showing safety vs. accountability.

0:20 – 0:38 | Activity 1 – behaviour mapping

Groups of 4. Each group receives a set of 16 scenario cards – real team situations. They sort them into two columns: “builds safety” or “erodes safety.” Each group must agree and be ready to defend two decisions. 15 minutes sorting, 3 minutes selecting their two most debated cards.

0:38 – 0:48 | Reflection 1 – whole group debrief

Each group shares one card they debated. Facilitator probes with structured questions. 10 minutes total – two minutes per group maximum.

0:48 – 0:58 | Input 2 – leader behaviours that shift the norm

Four specific behaviours introduced with examples: modelling uncertainty, inviting dissent, responding to bad news without blame, following up on concerns raised. Each behaviour shown as a before/after exchange.

0:58 – 1:15 | Activity 2 – personal audit

Individual silent work. Each participant rates themselves on the four behaviours (1-4 scale) and writes one specific recent example where they fell short – not a general pattern, a specific moment. Not shared with the group. 10 minutes. Then pairs share only their lowest-rated behaviour and one reason it happens. 7 minutes.

1:15 – 1:25 | Reflection 2 + synthesis

Facilitator draws out three to four themes from the room using a show-of-hands check. Connects themes back to the research from Input 1. Names the outcome explicitly: the goal was never awareness – it was one change.

1:25 – 1:30 | Commitment close

Each participant writes one commitment on a card: the specific behaviour, the specific context, and by when. Cards are kept by the participant. Facilitator explains there will be a follow-up nudge in seven days.

Activity instructions

Activity 1 – scenario card sort

• Sort all 16 cards into two columns: builds safety / erodes safety
• Every person in the group must agree before a card is placed – if you disagree, say so
• Mark any card the group debated for more than 60 seconds with a dot
• Select your two most debated cards to share with the full group
• Expected output: sorted set with two flagged cards and a one-sentence explanation for each

Activity 2 – personal audit

• Rate yourself 1-4 on each of the four leader behaviours on your worksheet
• Write one specific recent example for your lowest-rated behaviour – name the situation, not just the habit
• Share only your lowest-rated behaviour with your pair – not the example unless you choose to
• Expected output: completed worksheet and one spoken disclosure to a partner

Facilitator prompts

During card sort debrief

• “Why did that one cause disagreement in your group?”
• “Is that behaviour always erosive, or does context change it?”
• “What would have to be true for that to feel safe?”

During pairs (Activity 2)

• “You don’t have to share the example – just the behaviour and what gets in the way of it.”

Fallback if discussion stalls

• “Let me make it more concrete – has anyone been in a meeting this week where someone didn’t speak up? What did the room feel like?”

Group management notes

• Dominant voices: During card sort, assign a rotating spokesperson role – the person who spoke last is not allowed to speak next
• Silent participants: The personal audit is individual and private – it guarantees every person does the thinking even if they don’t share aloud
• Pairs, not open floor: Activity 2 uses pairs specifically to ensure every participant has at least one substantive conversation
• Time boundaries: Use a visible timer on screen. Announce transitions 60 seconds early. Do not extend activities – compress the debrief instead if running long

Assessment method

• Card sort output shows whether participants can correctly identify safety-eroding behaviours in realistic scenarios
• Personal audit worksheet shows whether participants can apply the framework to their own context
• Commitment card is the primary output – assessed informally by the facilitator for specificity (vague commitments are redirected before the session closes)

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