This Simple Practice Built the Strongest Team I’ve Ever Worked With
When I worked at The Ford Plantation, our leadership team held weekly meetings where every department head was expected to share what was going on in their area. This wasn’t just about reporting on wins—it was also about being honest about where we needed help.
Because this was the norm, not the exception, we became a collaborative, cohesive team. We didn’t compete or hide information. We worked together.
That culture was tested during Hurricane Matthew in 2016. With the property and surrounding community under threat, the stakes were high and the pressure intense, and I am proud to say that our team didn’t fall apart—we rallied.
Every department stepped in to support one another, making decisions quickly, solving problems on the fly, and doing whatever was needed to get through the crisis. The foundation for that response was built in those weekly meetings, where trust and psychological safety had been steadily developed over time.
Psychological safety means that team members feel safe to speak up, take risks, ask for help, and admit mistakes without fear of being judged or blamed. It’s not just a “nice to have”—it’s essential for any organization.
Here are three simple steps you can take to build psychological safety in your own team meetings:
Encourage participation. Go around the table and invite input from everyone—not just the loudest or most senior voices in the room. Make it clear that every perspective matters.
Respond constructively. When someone admits a mistake or offers critical feedback, meet it with empathy and curiosity rather than judgment. Your reaction teaches the rest of the team whether it’s truly safe to be honest.
Celebrate diversity. Encourage different perspectives and ways of thinking. Great ideas often come from unexpected places, and diversity of thought leads to better outcomes.
This week, open your next team meeting by asking, “What’s something you’re proud of this week?” and “What’s one thing you need help with?” Then listen, not to fix everything, but to understand. Over time, these moments build the kind of culture where people feel seen, supported, and safe to lead.
The strongest teams don’t avoid problems—they talk about them openly. And it all starts with creating space where people feel they belong.