Psychological Safety Isn’t About Comfort — It’s About Clarity

“Psychological safety” has become a popular phrase in law firms.

Often, it’s used with good intentions:

• to protect morale

• to avoid tension

• to keep things positive

• to prevent conflict

But in practice, many firms misinterpret what psychological safety actually means.

They equate safety with comfort.

And that misunderstanding quietly undermines performance, trust, and leadership.

Comfort Is Not the Same as Safety

Comfort means:

• no tension

• no difficult conversations

• no disagreement

• no direct feedback

Psychological safety is something very different.

It means:

• people know what’s expected

• feedback is honest and timely

• issues are addressed early

• disagreement isn’t punished

• accountability is consistent

Comfort avoids friction.

Safety allows it — productively.

Why Law Firms Get This Wrong So Often

Law firms are relationship-driven environments.

Leaders worry that directness will:

• damage trust

• hurt retention

• feel harsh

• make things personal

So, they soften expectations.
Delay feedback.
Avoid clarity when it feels uncomfortable.

But that avoidance doesn’t create safety.

It creates uncertainty.

Uncertainty Is the Enemy of Psychological Safety

When clarity is missing, teams don’t feel safe — they feel exposed.

They wonder:

• Am I meeting expectations?

• Is this actually okay?

• Why wasn’t this addressed sooner?

• Will feedback come out of nowhere later?

Silence forces people to guess.

And guessing at expectations is far more stressful than hearing clear ones.

This Is Why Accountability Feels Threatening in Some Firms

Learn more about the need for accountability here: Why Accountability in Law Firms Feels Uncomfortable — And Why That’s a Problem.

Accountability feels unsafe when:

• expectations weren’t clear upfront

• feedback arrives late

• standards feel subjective

• consequences seem sudden

In those environments, accountability feels punitive — not constructive.

That’s not because accountability is wrong.

It’s because clarity was missing.

Avoiding Discomfort Doesn’t Protect People

Many leaders believe they’re protecting their teams by avoiding discomfort.

In reality, they’re shifting the burden:

• onto high performers

• onto people who guess wrong

• onto teams who feel tension but don’t know why

Avoidance doesn’t remove discomfort.

It spreads it quietly — and unevenly.

What Psychological Safety Actually Looks Like in Practice

In firms with real psychological safety:

• expectations are explicit

• feedback is normal and timely

• disagreement isn’t personal

• issues don’t linger

• accountability is predictable

People aren’t surprised by conversations.

They trust the system.

And because they trust the system, they’re more willing to speak up, ask questions, and take ownership.

Clarity Makes Hard Conversations Easier — Not Harder

When clarity exists:

• conversations stay factual

• emotions don’t escalate

• issues remain small

• trust increases over time

Hard conversations feel harder in firms that avoid them — not in firms that practice them.

Why High Performers Crave Clarity

High performers don’t want comfort.

They want:

• to know the rules

• to understand expectations

• to receive honest feedback

• to improve continuously

When clarity is missing, high performers:

• self-correct endlessly

• carry more than their share

• lose confidence in leadership

• disengage quietly

Psychological safety isn’t about protecting people from feedback.

It’s about protecting them from ambiguity.

Leadership Sets the Tone for Safety

Psychological safety isn’t created by policies or slogans.

It’s created by:

• leaders addressing issues early

• consistency in expectations

• follow-through on decisions

• transparency around standards

Teams feel safe when leadership is predictable — not when leadership avoids discomfort.

The Question Law Firm Leaders Should Ask

Instead of asking:

“How do we keep people comfortable?”

Ask:

• Are expectations clear?

• Is feedback timely?

• Are issues addressed early?

• Do people know where they stand?

• Is accountability consistent?

Those answers determine whether a firm is truly psychologically safe.

If your firm equates psychological safety with comfort, it may be creating uncertainty instead of trust.

I help law firms build clarity, accountability, and communication systems that make teams feel genuinely safe — even when conversations are direct.