When Safety Is Low and You’re the New Leader

You’re the new manager.

Fresh to the role. Fresh to the team.

You run an anonymous psychological safety pulse check. And the results hit hard.

Most people say they don’t feel safe speaking up. They worry about backlash. They don’t trust that feedback will be heard - let alone acted on. They think the stakes are too high.

The problem is - You don’t know what’s happened before you got there. You don’t know the politics. You don’t know the unspoken stories.

But you do know this - The weight of culture didn’t come from nowhere.

And now it’s yours to lead.

This is the moment most managers freeze.

They wait. They hope trust builds “organically.” They tell themselves it’ll improve “over time.”

But time doesn’t build trust. Action does.

If your team doesn’t feel safe, it’s not on them to fix. It’s on you.

And no, you don’t need a title change. You don’t need an executive sponsor. You don’t need to wait for HR to roll out a framework.

What you need is clarity, consistency, and the courage to lead where it matters most: At the cultural core.

Here’s how.

1. Own the Reality - Out Loud

Start by naming the data.

Don’t sugarcoat it. Don’t get defensive. Don’t explain it away.

"Our team’s safety scores are low. That tells me people don’t feel they can speak up without consequence. I want to change that. And I know I need to earn your trust, not assume it."

People need to know you see the problem before they’ll believe you’ll solve it.

2. Stop Collecting Feedback You Won’t Use

Too many managers ask for feedback they aren’t ready to act on.

Don’t do that.

If you’re going to ask your team to speak, you better be ready to show them you listened. That means:

• Looping back on the feedback you heard
• Naming what you can and can’t change
• Explaining why
• Showing where decisions were influenced

The loop needs to close. Fast.

Or people will assume it was just performative.

3. Change How You Run Meetings - Now

Meetings are your culture in action.

If one person dominates every conversation - call it out. If feedback gets dismissed - interrupt it. If silence fills the room - don’t move on. Ask why.

Try this:

“I want to hear from people who haven’t spoken yet. And if you disagree with something, I want that too.”

Then thank people who challenge ideas. Even if it’s uncomfortable. Especially if it’s uncomfortable.

Over time, your team will learn that disagreement is valued.

4. Model the Behavior You Want - Even If It Feels Risky

If you want your team to admit mistakes, start with your own.

If you want them to speak up when something feels off, show them how.

You cannot ask for courage if you’re leading with perfection.

Say things like:

“I don’t have all the answers on this.” “I could be wrong.” “I’d really value your perspective.”

This is strength. People follow leaders who are human, not performative.

5. Use Your Influence Up the Chain

This is bigger than your team.

If you’re seeing fear and silence in your team, assume others are too. Psychological safety issues rarely stay isolated.

So bring your findings to senior leadership. Show them the patterns. Speak clearly about the cost: turnover, lost ideas, disengagement.

Offer solutions, not just problems:

• Suggest that all teams adopt quarterly safety pulse checks
• Recommend leadership roundtables for open feedback
• Push for role modeling at the top - not just policy at the bottom

You’re not just a people manager. You’re a culture shaper.

Own that power.

6. Partner With HR - But Don’t Rely on Them

HR can be a powerful ally. They can help scale training, update policies, and advise on tough situations.

But they cannot fix what you’re unwilling to lead.

Too many managers hand off culture work as if it’s someone else’s job. It’s not.

If you want a safe team, HR is your partner - not your substitute.

7. Make It Measurable

Psychological safety doesn’t have to stay fuzzy.

Track:

• How many people speak in meetings
• Who gives input on decisions
• Who asks questions publicly
• How feedback gets handled
• What happens after mistakes

You don’t need a complex dashboard.

Just track what matters. Then improve what’s missing.

8. Shift the Narrative

Psychological safety isn’t about coddling or about avoiding hard conversations. It’s about creating the conditions for challenge, innovation, and accountability to thrive.

Because without safety, there is no learning. There is no truth. There is no growth.

And any leader who thinks it’s optional is already behind.

P.S. You don’t need history to lead with integrity. You just need to start where others left off - and do better.

Make safety visible. Make it real. Make it the way work gets done.

No excuses. No waiting. No top-down permission required.

Your team deserves that. And so does the company you’re building - whether they realize it yet or not.