The Silence Tax: Why psychological safety isn't soft—it's the operating system your team runs on

Psychological safety shapes team performance more than talent alone. In this episode of You Might Try This, Stacey and Cade unpack the real meaning of psychological safety and why most organizations misunderstand it. They discuss the hidden cost of silence in organizations, how leaders accidentally shut down dissent, and why “nice” teams often make worse decisions. Stacey and Cade also share practical leadership experiments for creating environments where people feel safe enough to challenge ideas, admit mistakes, and raise concerns before problems escalate.What You’ll Learn:• Why the highest-performing teams report more mistakes, not fewer• The connection between psychological safety and decision quality• How leaders unintentionally discourage honest feedback• Why polite agreement can be more dangerous than open conflict• The role dissent plays in stronger team performance• Three practical ways to encourage more candid conversations at workChapters 00:00: Amy Edmondson and the origins of psychological safety05:08: Why teams fail when people stop speaking up09:07: The hidden cost of silence and fake agreement13:48: Why dissent makes teams smarter19:32: Leadership behaviors that destroy psychological safety26:36: Three practical experiments to build safer, more honest teams#WorkplaceCulture #leadership #Communication #workplacesafetyYou Might Try This is a leadership podcast about learning how to lead without losing yourself along the way. Through research, coaching insights, and practical experiments, Stacey Philpot and Cade Cowan help leaders navigate the real challenges of modern work.To learn more about us and the podcast, visit youmighttrythis.com and check us out on social media @youmighttrythis