Psychological safety
– an important key to strong communities in associations
In many associations, both volunteers and employees play a large and important role. They give their time, knowledge and commitment – often because the cause is important to them personally.
That is why it’s especially important that we, as associations, create a place where people feel welcome, listened to and safe. At PiCC United, we have made it an important task to work with psychological safety. It is about creating a culture where everyone – regardless of experience, background or role – dares to speak their mind, ask questions and be honest without fear of being met with criticism or silence.
Why is this important?
When people feel safe:
- They dare to contribute ideas and solutions.
- They dare to speak up without fear.
- It becomes easier to talk openly about mistakes and learn from them.
- There is more cooperation and less silence.
- People feel like an important part of the community – and often stay longer.
For many associations, community, volunteering and learning are core values. Psychological safety reinforces all of these. It is not about agreeing on everything, but about daring to disagree with respect.
How we work with psychological safety in practice
Here are some simple things we do at PiCC United that other associations may find inspiring:
- We start meetings with a round where everyone gets a chance to speak. This makes it easier to speak later in the meeting.
- We make it clear that you don’t have to know everything. It’s okay to ask questions, learn and be unsure.
- We make room for differences. Some people have a professional background, others share experiences from life as a patient or relative – both are important.
- We practise listening with curiosity and giving friendly feedback. Not to correct each other, but to become wiser together.
- We recognise that breaks and boundaries are necessary. It is okay to say ‘no thank you’ or ‘not right now’.
Small changes in everyday life can make a big difference. It doesn’t require long courses – just a willingness to create a good culture and be attentive to each other.
A call to other associations
Whether your association is large or small, run by employees or volunteers, psychological safety is an important building block. Not as an extra ‘project’, but as a natural part of how you work together. Security makes it easier to retain volunteers, strengthens cooperation and creates greater well-being. It’s not just good for people – it’s also good for your cause.
At PiCC United, we are happy to share our experiences. We believe that we lift each other up when we share knowledge – including knowledge about how we feel about being together.
Would you like to learn more or discuss with us how you can get started in your organisation? Please get in touch – we are happy to help!
Download our Cheat Sheet that is ment to help you and your team.