Psychological safety and trust are at the core of how and why a relationship works. In mentoring, psychological safety and trust between the mentor and mentee are essential for creating a space for learning and growth by allowing both parties to feel comfortable sharing.
Behavioral scientist and Harvard Business School professor Dr. Amy Edmondson (2019) defined psychological safety as “the ability to show and employ one's self without fear of negative consequences to career, status, or self-image.”
Psychological safety is the assurance that no team member (or mentee) will be humiliated, laughed at, or punished for asking questions, sharing ideas or concerns, or making mistakes. Psychological safety results in positive interpersonal interactions (Edmondson, 2019) and encourages prosocial behaviors.
Mentoring is a form of prosocial behavior. Below are ten tips for creating a psychologically safe mentoring relationship.
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