“Psychological safety is essential for teams to grow and thrive.”
-Amanda Clay Powers in “Psychological Safety in Libraries: It’s a Team Sport”
This article, shared by Michael Stephens, really struck a chord with me. I hold a leadership position at the library I currently work at, and have been reflecting on what success looks like for someone in this position. Amy Edmondson posulates that psychological safety is a
‘‘…shared belief held by members of a team that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking. [It is] a sense of confidence that the team will not embarrass, reject, or punish someone for speaking up. It describes a team climate characterized by interpersonal trust and mutual respect in which people are comfortable being themselves.’’
(Edmondson, 1999)
To make a team psychologically safe, a leader needs to communicate to the team what that means, along with the tools of anti-racism, inclusion, accessibility, and soft skills of active listening. This reminds me of the core principles of restorative practices, which we have implemented for our youth patrons. You approach each situation with curiosity and with the assumption that the youth patron is “good”. There is no such thing as a bad youth patron, but rather a youth patron who made a bad decision. Clay Powers and Fife (2025) are applying restorative practices to adults in the workplace (Clay Powers and Fife, 2025). These practices build trust between coworkers and management, and creates an environment where everyone can be their trueselves. This allows for more engagement and flow of ideas, rather than a quiet meeting where no one wants to speak up for fear of judgment and criticism.
It seems like a daunting task to change workplace practices and culture that have been around for a long time. Clay Powers (2025) writes, “Point your feet in a direction, and you will end up there” (Clay Powers and Fife, 2025, p. 106). I love this. It emphasizes intent and baby steps. Psychological safety is a marathon, not a sprint. Tying this back into the Hyperlinked Library, I am reminded of Michael Stephens’ challenge of “leading from the heart” (Stephens, 2025). What kind of changes would we see if we put people first (including our coworkers)? How would it affect the library as an organization? How would the library’s impact on the community change?
References
Clay Powers, A., and Fife, D. (2025, March). Psychological safety in libraries: It’s a team sport. College & Research Libraries News, 86(2), 104-107. https://crln.acrl.org/index.php/crlnews/article/view/26701/34619
Edmondson, A. (1999, June). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350-383. https://doi.org/10.2307/2666999
Stephens, M. (2025). Module 13: Reflective practice. https://287.hyperlib.sjsu.edu/module-13-reflective-practice/
Hi Jenn – This is pressing concern these days. Society has witnessed so many traumatic events in the near past without much time to recover. Our leadership team completed mental health first aid training a few years ago, but I’m going to suggest we take a closer look at psychological first aid. This could be a community program too, to help build capacity and give people some tools to feel effective.
https://www.ptsd.va.gov/disaster_events/for_providers/psychological_first_aid.asp
Thank you for the thoughtful post!
Hi, Heather,
Thanks for reading and sharing. This is a great resource that I will definitely explore.
-Jenn
Hi Jenn.
I enjoyed your reflection. I like how you connected psychological safety for staff to restorative practices with youth, emphasizing trust, curiosity, and respect as foundations for both. Your point about intentional, gradual steps is especially powerful—reminding us that creating a culture where everyone feels safe to contribute is a continuous, meaningful process that can transform both the library and its impact on the community.
Warmly,
Bevin
Hi, Bevin!
Thanks for reading. I am seeing a lot of interconnectedness between techniques for leadership, relationship building, and parenting. Many theories share the same basis of vulnerability, courage, and curiosity. It is interesting to see the overlap from very different fields.
-Jenn
Miss Jenn, I adore your blog!
I thought your imagry was potent, and the topic is timely. The principle of People First Culture(PFC) really aligned with me after earning my AA in Social and Behavioral Science, and applying it while working as a paraprofessional and educator. I also was exposed to yoga/meditation, health 101, stress management in community college, and have practiced since. It has some beautiful crossover with public/ school libraries too. It’s a beautiful practice of humanity that we can hold with ourselves on the mat, and others off of it. Sounds like you’re my kind of librarian! Lmk if you’d be interested in growing together.
With gratitude, Chelsea Jones
Fellow Heart-Gardener,
Chelsea Jones (CJ) The Grounded Library & Gallery
Chelsea, thank you! That is very kind.
I love that you brought up yoga and meditation. It is such a great way to connect the heart and the body together to understand and regulate one’s emotions. I am a yoga instructor outside of my fulltime job as a librarian. I have been able to teach several yoga classes at the library where I work and it has been very rewarding. I am definitely interested!
-Jenn
Just my type of librarian 😉 I’d love to get my 200-hour certificate one day, and maybe advance to a yoga therapist. I can imagine how much joy you bring to your community. Best wishes with finals!