Psychosafe Progression: The Outcome of Psychological Safety in Teams
In today’s fast-moving and complex workplaces, psychological safety is more than just a buzzword—it’s essential for organisational success. When psychological safety is nurtured and sustained, individuals and teams experience Psychosafe Progression, a concept identified by Sean McCallum.
Psychosafe Progression describes the developmental stages individuals go through as they gain confidence in their ability to contribute, challenge, and innovate within their teams. However, without active reinforcement, psychological safety can erode, leading to, regression, or even exclusion.
If you’re looking for practical strategies to cultivate and sustain psychological safety, our Psychological Safety Training equips leaders and teams with the necessary tools.
What is Psychosafe Progression?
Psychosafe Progression outlines the stages individuals move through within groups and teams as they experience increasing levels of psychological safety:
1. Induction – An individual joins the group yet lacks a sense of belonging
2. Inclusion – They become accepted but remain passive
3. Participation – They actively engage but with caution
4. Contribution – They take more ownership and produce with confidence
5. Innovation – They feel safe to challenge norms, driving development and performance.
The goal is to move people towards innovation, but that process is not always linear. Without the right support and leadership, individuals can regress—sometimes to the point of exclusion, where they disengage completely or feel alienated from the group.
This is why investing in psychological safety training is crucial. Our Psychological Safety Training provides teams with the strategies to build, maintain, and repair psychological safety at any stage.
The Risk of Regression: Why Psychological Safety is Fragile
Psychological safety is not fixed—it can be lost just as quickly as it is built. Some key factors that cause regression include:
• Dismissal of Ideas – If contributions are ignored or undervalued, individuals will regress to lower levels.
• Punitive Culture – Fear of punishment for mistakes or dissent can silence innovation.
• Lack of Support – Without encouragement, people will disengage and withdraw.
In some cases, individuals regress to the point of exclusion, where they feel completely disconnected from their team. At this stage, their input is either dismissed, devalued, or they withdraw entirely from contributing.
Regression to exclusion can be particularly damaging. It can lead to low morale, lack of motivation, increased turnover, and workplace toxicity. This is why organisations must actively reinforce psychological safety enabling leaders to recognise and address early warning signs before individuals disengage entirely.
The TRUST Model: The Key to Strengthening Psychological Safety
To counteract regression and support positive progression, Sean McCallum developed the TRUST Model, which provides a framework for building and sustaining psychological safety:
• Tolerance – Encouraging diversity of thought and creating space for difficult conversations.
• Respect – Ensuring all voices are heard and valued equally.
• Understanding – Practising empathy and recognising individual experiences.
• Support – Providing assistance, enabling people to thrive.
• Transparency – Open, honest communication to build trust and reduce uncertainty.
By implementing TRUST, organisations can create safe, high-performing teams where employees feel empowered and engaged.
Want to embed TRUST into your organisation? Our Psychological Safety Training covers practical applications of this model, tailored to your specific workplace challenges.
Preventing Exclusion: How to Stop Regression Before It Happens
If psychological safety is not actively managed, individuals can slip into exclusion, where they feel entirely disconnected from their team.
To prevent this, leaders must:
• Encourage Open Dialogue – Fostering an environment where all employees feel safe to speak
• Recognise Contributions – Ensuring people’s ideas are acknowledged and rewarded
• Provide Constructive Feedback – Replacing punitive responses with growth-oriented coaching
• Balance Participation – Preventing dominance by a few while ensuring everyone is heard
• Monitor Team Dynamics – Identifying early signs of withdrawal before exclusion occurs.
For a step-by-step approach to preventing exclusion, explore our Psychological Safety Training.
The Importance of Psychosafe Progression
Psychosafe Progression is not automatic—it requires consistent effort to ensure individuals move forward instead of regressing.
By implementing the TRUST Model and using structured interventions, organisations can increase retention, engagement, and performance.
Regression into exclusion is preventable, but only when psychological safety is actively cultivated. To start creating a stronger, more resilient workplace, enrol in our Psychological Safety Training today.
