of Psychological Safety
Leading with the best of intentions doesn’t always mean creating the impact you want. For many leaders, the gap between what we aim to do and how others experience it can be a blind spot.
Yuri Brown-Cruzat, Founder and Managing Director of EPIC Inclusion Solutions, shared her insights on this topic in her episode of How She Did It: Introducing the New League of Leaders. She has revealed how psychological safety is central to meaningful leadership and effective team dynamics. Yuri’s approach to leadership is rooted in intentionality, vulnerability, and creating spaces where everyone feels seen and valued.
Psychological safety is the feeling that you can share your thoughts, make mistakes, and challenge ideas without fear of embarrassment or retaliation. For Yuri, it’s about meeting people where they are and creating a framework that supports their growth.
She broke it down into four progressive stages:
- Inclusion Safety: Feeling valued as part of the team.
- Learner Safety: Having the freedom to learn and make mistakes.
- Contributor Safety: Feeling empowered to share ideas and perspectives.
- Challenger Safety: Being able to question the status quo and offer alternative solutions.
Each stage builds on the last, requiring leaders to foster trust, create clarity, and model vulnerability. “It’s not enough to have good intentions,” Yuri explained. “The key is to ensure your impact matches those intentions.”
Yuri shared a career-defining moment from her time at Ernst & Young when her intention was misunderstood.
During a conversation with her leader about role changes, she voiced her frustration, saying the shift would set her back five years. Her goal was to advocate for herself and her team, but her delivery was interpreted as a voluntary resignation. “That wasn’t what I meant at all,” Yuri recalled. “I wanted him to feel my frustration, but I didn’t realize how my words landed.”
This moment became a turning point. Yuri began focusing on shortening the gap between intention and impact by being clearer, calmer, and more intentional in her communication.
Signs That Psychological Safety Might Be Missing
When psychological safety is missing, the signs are often subtle but significant:
- Meetings are dominated by the highest-ranking person. If no one challenges or adds to their ideas, that’s a red flag.
- Informal cliques hold the real decision-making power. When conversations happen outside the room, inclusion suffers.
- Feedback is limited or overly cautious. If team members are overly cautious or disengaged, it’s a sign they don’t feel safe.
These dynamics can lead to disengagement, turnover, and missed growth opportunities. Recognizing these behaviors is the first step toward meaningful change.
Building psychological safety doesn’t require sweeping reforms. Yuri emphasized that small, intentional actions can make a big difference:
- Create Shared Agreements: Define team values and behaviors together. For example, if inclusion is a value, discuss what it looks like in everyday interactions.
- Model Vulnerability: Admit when you don’t have all the answers. Sharing your own challenges creates a culture where others feel safe doing the same.
- Invite All Voices: Go beyond the usual contributors. Make it a point to include quieter team members or those in less prominent roles. Their insights might surprise you.
- Reflect as a Team: After major projects or decisions, ask, “What worked well? What didn’t? What can we improve?” This encourages open, constructive conversations.
- Ask, Don’t Assume: If there’s a misalignment, address it directly. Yuri’s approach is to say, “Your impact on me was X. Was that your intention?” This creates space for clarity and resolution.
With multiple generations now coexisting in the workplace, leadership requires nuance and intentionality. “Helicopter parenting is showing up in the workplace,” Yuri noted, highlighting how Gen Z employees—eager to learn and contribute—often expect the same level of acknowledgment and support they received growing up. “This generation grew up where everyone got a ribbon, everyone felt supported. But work isn’t like that.”
Leaders must adapt to these dynamics without coddling. “You have to guide them with intentionality,” Yuri explained. “Don’t assume they’ll just follow your lead, especially in hybrid environments.” Success lies in balancing clarity, patience, and opportunities for growth to bridge generational differences effectively.
Yuri left the audience with a challenge: Take a close look at how you lead. Are you creating spaces where people feel seen, heard, and empowered? Are you listening to understand, or simply waiting to respond?
“Leadership is about creating the conditions for others to succeed,” Yuri said. “When people feel safe, they bring their best selves to work. That’s where true impact begins.”
So, ask yourself: How do your intentions align with the impact you’re creating? And what’s one step you can take today to foster greater safety and trust in your team?
Yuri Brown-Cruzat
Managing Director
EPIC Inclusion Solutions
