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Feeling safe to speak up is a key characteristic of a psychologically safe environment, but the obligation to provide one has left some leaders "scared witless", and unsure of what they can and can't say, a psychologist says.

Earlier in the year, psychologist, author, and Think One Team executive director Graham Winter encountered four or five CEOs in the space of a few weeks saying almost exactly the same thing: they had leaders who were frightened they'd end up in in court because of "psychological safety".

They worried that talking about performance or goals might affect employees' psychological safety, and were "on edge" as a result...