Recently, I was facilitating a workshop with a group of leaders for a company in the renewable energy sector. During one of the sessions, which was focused on psychological safety, one senior manager raised the point that they felt they needed to always have the answers for their team. This led to a healthy discussion, with many of the delegates believing that their job as a leader is to 'be the expert', whilst one or two believed that humility or 'not knowing all the answers' is a leadership strength.
That discussion really stuck with me and made me reflect. It revealed a truth that I have observed whilst coaching leaders for a long time: the fear of being seen as fallible. Yet here lies the contradiction in this way of thinking - when leaders show up as real, not perfect, they create the very safety their teams need to thrive.
Core Insight: Authentic Leadership Builds Safety from the Inside Out
Psychological safety isn't built through corporate policies or posters. It's built through people, especially leaders. And in my opinion, the most powerful skill we have in our toolkit as leaders is the ability to be authentic.
Bill George's Authentic Leadership model offers a roadmap: it shows leaders how they can lead with purpose, values, relationships, self‑discipline, and heart. When leaders bring these traits to life, they signal to their teams: "It's safe to be human here."
Authentic leaders:
- Admit mistakes and model learning to their teams
- Share their values and stick to them, especially when they are under pressure
- Invite feedback and listen without being defensive (really listen)
- Show empathy and understand the importance of it, particularly when the 'pressure is on'
These behaviours don't just build trust - they create a culture where people feel safe to speak up, take risks, and be themselves.
Research backs this up. Google's Project Aristotle found that psychological safety was the single most important factor in team effectiveness. Teams where people felt able to take interpersonal risks without fear of embarrassment or punishment, consistently outperformed others.
Authenticity isn't soft, it's strategic. It's how leaders build trust, resilience, and performance.
Practical Application: Three Ways to Lead Authentically Today
- Start with a Story in your next team meeting. Tell your team a story about when you got something wrong and what you learnt. Keep it genuine, not rehearsed. Vulnerability from leaders sets the tone for openness.
- Ask the Question, "What's one thing I could do differently to support you better?" Then listen. Don't defend. Just thank them and reflect. This builds trust faster than any engagement survey, but only if you do something with it!
- Name Your Values and take ten minutes to write down your top three leadership values. Then ask the team, "Do my actions reflect these consistently?" Ask the team to do the same, and again, don't defend—really listen to them.
Facilitator Perspective: What I've Seen in the Room
In almost twenty years of running leadership programs, I've noticed something consistent: the leaders who create the safest teams aren't the loudest or most charismatic. They're the ones who show up with clarity and understand the importance of care in their team. They know what their values are, they always own their mistakes, and they genuinely want to grow.
One leader I worked with used to start their meetings by asking the simple question: "What did we learn this week?" Not "What went wrong?", but "What did we learn?" That simple shift created a culture where people felt safe to speak up, challenge ideas, and innovate.
Closing Reflection: What's Your True North?
Authentic leadership isn't a destination - it's about practice. It's about aligning who you are with how you lead, every day. This will take time, reflection and honest feedback.
So, for your reflection:
What's one behaviour you could change this week to lead more authentically and create more safety for your team?
Because when leaders lead from their True North, when they are truly authentic, teams don't just feel safe, they feel seen.
Sources:
- Bill George on Authentic Leadership
- CIO Forbes: The Five Qualities of Authentic Leadership
- Harvard Business Review: Discovering Your Authentic Leadership
- McKinsey: Leading with Authenticity – A Conversation with Bill George
- Aristotle Performance: Google's Data‑Driven Insights on High‑Performing Teams
About the Author
Mark is a leadership coach and facilitator with over 16 years' global experience in high-hazard industries. Starting in construction, he saw the real cost when safety slips, shaping a career-long focus on care-led leadership. Mark partners closely with clients to tailor initiatives, build authentic leadership and lift engagement. He coaches executives and frontline leaders to turn intent into evidence-based habits that protect people and performance. Relationships first, results follow: his work strengthens trust, communication and safety outcomes.
