Psychological Safety Isn’t What You Think It Is
Thu Jun 19 2025
In this bold and unfiltered episode of The Work Wire, Bob Goodwin, President of Career Club, and Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., President and CEO of SHRM, dismantle the myths surrounding one of the most misused phrases in today’s workplace lexicon: psychological safety.
Far from being a license for comfort or an excuse to dodge accountability, psychological safety—originally defined by Harvard’s Dr. Amy Edmondson—is about creating a culture where people can take interpersonal risks without fear of retaliation or embarrassment. But in practice, it’s been twisted into something else entirely.
Bob and Johnny take on:
The difference between being nice and being kind—and why the former may be a managerial cop-out.
Why “transparency” is often demanded but rarely welcomed.
The tension between accountability and empathy—can you really have both?
The difference between skeptics and cynics, and why the former might be your culture's secret weapon.
Reciprocity in psychological safety—why it must go both ways to work.
Why failure is acceptable… but only when it’s well-executed.
This episode is not about tiptoeing through tough conversations—it’s about how real leaders build resilient cultures where truth can be spoken, decisions can be challenged, and people can grow.
Psychological safety doesn’t mean comfort. It means courage.
Listen now on Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-work-wire/id1724236534
Or on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0B2h7zqojjLQemKTVjdpTt
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In this bold and unfiltered episode of The Work Wire, Bob Goodwin, President of Career Club, and Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., President and CEO of SHRM, dismantle the myths surrounding one of the most misused phrases in today’s workplace lexicon: psychological safety. Far from being a license for comfort or an excuse to dodge accountability, psychological safety—originally defined by Harvard’s Dr. Amy Edmondson—is about creating a culture where people can take interpersonal risks without fear of retaliation or embarrassment. But in practice, it’s been twisted into something else entirely. Bob and Johnny take on: The difference between being nice and being kind—and why the former may be a managerial cop-out. Why “transparency” is often demanded but rarely welcomed. The tension between accountability and empathy—can you really have both? The difference between skeptics and cynics, and why the former might be your culture's secret weapon. Reciprocity in psychological safety—why it must go both ways to work. Why failure is acceptable… but only when it’s well-executed. This episode is not about tiptoeing through tough conversations—it’s about how real leaders build resilient cultures where truth can be spoken, decisions can be challenged, and people can grow. Psychological safety doesn’t mean comfort. It means courage. Listen now on Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-work-wire/id1724236534 Or on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0B2h7zqojjLQemKTVjdpTt