Amy Edmondson, Harvard Professor and Author of “The Fearless Organization”, on Balancing Psychological Safety and Accountability

Supermanagers

In this insightful episode, we sit down with Amy Edmondson, one of the world’s leading management thinkers. As the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at Harvard Business School, she is an expert in psychological safety and organizational learning.

In episode 14 of season 2, she discusses the importance of creating environments where team members feel safe to speak up and how this psychological safety is essential for learning and innovation. She also explores the balance between psychological safety and accountability, emphasizing that these concepts are not in opposition but rather complementary in high-performing teams.

You’ll gain valuable insights into how to foster a culture of inquiry, the role of clear goals in team performance, and practical steps for turning around fearful organizations. Amy’s examples from companies like Pixar and Southwest Airlines offer concrete illustrations of how these principles can be applied in real-world settings.

You’ll find this episode valuable if you're looking for actionable advice for leaders looking to enhance their team’s psychological safety, accountability, and overall performance.

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TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[02:13] Leadership mistakes and psychological safety

[05:26] The role of psychological safety in organizational learning

[08:58] Balancing psychological safety and accountability

[14:07] Characteristics of high-performing teams

[18:09] The impact of clear goals on team performance

[24:12] Turning around a fearful organization

[30:22] Lessons from Pixar and Southwest Airlines

[39:38] Tips for leaders on mastering the art of asking good questions

👉 Check out the resources mentioned here: https://fellow.app/supermanagers/amy-edmonson-harvard-business-school

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Connect with Amy on LinkedIn
• Read Amy’s book The Fearless Organization
• Read Amy’s book Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well
• Join the Supermanagers Slack community
• Connect with Aydin on LinkedIn
• Follow Fellow on LinkedIn