Sachin Jain/LinkedIn
Jun 22, 2025, 06:48
Sachin H. Jain: The Term “Psychological Safety” Is Everywhere – But Often Misunderstood
Sachin H. Jain, President and CEO of SCAN Group and Health Plan, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“The term ‘psychological safety’ is everywhere in modern organizations, but in many cases, it’s misunderstood.
It doesn’t mean being nice or avoiding hard conversations.
It doesn’t mean shielding people from discomfort.
And, more recently, it’s been invoked as a type of show-stopper to end or freeze conversations that are uncomfortable for people.
As my business school professor Amy Edmonson – who helped popularized the term – reminds us, psychological safety is about creating an environment where people feel safe to speak candidly, challenge ideas, and engage in rigorous debate because they are committed to shared goals and high standards.
I recently reconnected with Professor Edmonson at an industry conference and shared some of my concerns about how the term is sometimes being applied in organizations, including my own.
She pointed me to this excellent piece in Harvard Business Review, which unpacks the concept beautifully:
This is a timely read for any leader trying to build strong, high-performing teams – especially as we all seek to balance safety with accountability and excellence.
I’m reflecting on how my leadership team and I ‘show up’ in light of this piece.
I encourage others to do the same.”
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Global Summit on War & Cancer 2023, Online
Dec. 14-16, 2023
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