The Fearless Team: The Key to Thriving in Uncertainty
As a passionate rugby fan, watching the way the South African national team, the Springboks, went about the business of winning, during the Rugby Championship this August and September got me thinking about an apparent and clear factor behind their recent success: psychological safety. The way coach Rassie Erasmus supported fly-half Manie Libbok after he missed a penalty kick, under pressure, is a masterclass in leadership that values trust and growth over fear of failure.
The Power of Psychological Safety in Rugby
In the game between South Africa and Argentina on September 21st, Libbok missed a critical 35-metre penalty that would have sealed victory. Criticism poured in from all sides. Yet, instead of benching him, Rassie gave Libbok another chance, selecting him to start the following game, and team captain Siya Kolisi voiced his full support.
Their trust paid off. Libbok delivered a stellar performance in the final match, on September 28th, guiding South Africa to a 48-7 victory. Whenever you play for a coach it’s because you feel they’ve got your back, and I don’t know of a better example than this. The heat would have been on Coach Rassie, but I do not doubt that he would have spoken to Libbok right there, as he stepped off the field after the loss and told him to be ready to start the following week. The Springboks’ culture of psychological safety not only helped Libbok bounce back but also reinforced the bond within the team.
What is Psychological Safety?
Psychological safety is the shared belief that a team is a safe space for interpersonal risk-taking. It allows individuals to speak up, admit mistakes, and share ideas without fear of negative consequences. This isn’t just important on the rugby field; it’s vital in any high-performing team, whether in sports or the workplace.
Why Psychological Safety is Essential
Psychological safety is the cornerstone of effective teams, as highlighted by Google’s Project Aristotle, which studied 180 teams to uncover the secret to effective teamwork. They wanted to understand what truly makes teams thrive. Google found that psychological safety is the cornerstone. Team members must feel free to take risks, voice their thoughts, and admit mistakes. Here’s why it matters:
- Encourages Collaboration
When team members feel safe, they share ideas more freely. This openness fosters creativity and drives innovation, making collaboration more effective. - Enhances Learning
In environments where learning is key, psychological safety enables people to ask questions without fear of judgment. This promotes a growth mindset and deeper understanding. - Boosts Communication
Effective communication depends on trust. Teams that feel safe communicate more openly, leading to better decision-making and problem-solving. - Promotes Experimentation
In industries requiring innovation, psychological safety encourages taking risks and trying new approaches. This leads to breakthroughs and ongoing improvement. - Improves Well-Being
When individuals feel secure, they are less stressed and more engaged. This contributes to overall job satisfaction and productivity.
Building a Culture of Psychological Safety
Creating such an environment requires leadership that encourages open dialogue, values diverse perspectives, and embraces mistakes as learning opportunities. In her book “The Fearless Organization” Amy Edmondson explains how she found that better teams reported more errors than weaker teams. She found that it was not because the better teams made more mistakes, but that they had the confidence to share their mistakes and therefore quickly corrected them and continuously improved performance. These teams learn and improve faster.
Here are three steps to building a fearless team:
- Frame the Work
Clarify the nature of the work and its uncertainties. Emphasize that small failures are stepping stones to improvement and that the goal is continuous learning. - Reframe Failure
Celebrate intelligent failures that drive learning and improvement. Make it clear that leadership doesn’t have all the answers, and input from every team member is valued. - Motivate Effort
Encourage participation and curiosity. Ask powerful questions that spark reflection and creativity, and that focus on both individual growth and collective success.
Conclusion: Embrace Failure as a Path to Learning
To paraphrase the African proverb, “To get lost is to learn the way.” In an increasingly volatile and uncertain world, organizations must create spaces where mistakes are seen as opportunities to learn and grow. When failure is feared, creativity and innovation are stifled. But when failure is embraced, teams become stronger and more resilient.
The real failure is failing to fail. The Springboks’ trust in Libbok after his missed penalty wasn’t just a bold coaching decision—it was a testament to the power of psychological safety. We can all learn from this approach as we navigate our own VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity) environments.
